LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 

Chap..i.Sr Copji'ight Xo._.._.__. 



UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 






ARGUMENTS 

AGAINST 

POPULAR ERRORS 

AT 

WHIST 

STRINGER O. HILTON 



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mgj. 



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^"SSiOiitJ 



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HIliTOn'S ERRORS AT WJilST. 

''The /atest book on Whist" ''No Whist 
Player should be without one— TO SHOW HIS 
FRIENDS." 



"Entered accoring to Act of Congress 

IN THE YEAR 1898 BY StRINGER O. HiLTON IN 

THE Office of the Librarian of Congress 
AT Washington." 



ARGUMENTS 

AGAINST SOME 

POPULAR e:rrors 

AT 

WHIST 

With Some Notes on the Game 

AND A Glossary of Whist Terms 

BV 

/ 

Stringer 0. Hilton 

M 

'^ TO WHICH ARE ADDED 

y' - The Laws of Whist 

AND 

The IvAws of Duplicate Whist 

As Revised at the Last 

American Whist Congress. 



Printed by 
H. E. IRISH. SANTA CRUZ, CAL. 

1897. 



,.^-\'^ 






1250 



Preface. 



The history of whist, the theory of whist, 
the laws of whist, the gist of whist, Amer- 
ican leads, all may be easily obtained from 
the various treatises already existing on the 
game; and hands suitable to illustrate the 
principles of the game, and fix them on the 
memory, are to be found in the text books; 
notably in "American Whist Illustrated" 
by G. W. P.; ''The Laws and Principles of 
Whist" by Cavendish, and ''The Theory 
of the Modern Scientific Game of Whist" 
by Pole. It is not, therefore, intended in 
this book to go fully through such theory, 
laws, and leads; neither does the author 
pretend to be producing anything very 
original (the two, books last above men- 
tioned have been freely borrowed from in 
compiling this book), but it is hoped that 
the clearing away of some of the wrongful 
reasoning, that causes a lot of errors in the 
game to be "popular," may be helpful to 
beginners and others and make less popular 
"Errors at Whist.'' 



With the sentiments and ahnost in the words of 
"Cavendish" I wonld ask the whist stndent 
reader not to expect absohtte :natheniatic proof 
that given plays are the right ones, bnt to be 
satisfied by general reasonings, which are con- 
firmed by the accnmnlated experience of practiced 
players; — that is, be satisfied if the reasons given, 
or occurring to yon, for the "play" (called "cor- 
rect'") appi.-ar weighty* in themselves, and none 
weightier can be given on the other side. And, 
be satisfied with the assnrance that the method of 
play recommended herein is for the most part 
that which, having stood the test of time, is 
generally adopted. 

And this 1 wonld the more strotigly nrge 
in face of the tact that some American 
"Eastern"' writers and players have recently 
been recommending the nse of "the high 
card game," "the ruffing game," "s/ior/ sin'f 
(?/>^v////j,o%" and the like; their theory as e.r- 
ploited by "Howell" being '"that the original 
leadet should consider only the possibility of his 
OiUn haudV' and their excuse, or reason, for 
hunting up. or inventing, new whist theories 
being, ''because the long suit game appeared no 
good at all for its ostensible purpose" — a state- 
ment so broad that it is easy to emphatically deny 
its truth. The italics are mine to emphasize the 
assurance of some of these "latter-day" writers. 
I candidly own it is beyond my mental power 
to conceive — to grasp the idea of — any leader of 
forces, with another leader of forces on his side, 
(of perhaps slightly less (?) rank or prowess), and 
with the use of this other leader's forces (which 



may be of greater or less strength than those of 
the original leader, but may be estimated by him), 
*'co}isiderhi^^ only the possibility of his oivn 
hand." It seems to me that such a person shonhl 
not be "a leader!''' 

The arrangement of this little book, 
which, by the way, does not pretend to 
deal with ever}^ point of whist play, may 
by some be considered as rather a hap- 
hazard introduction to careful whist. 
Much of it is not written as applying to 
finished (or even moderate) players; but 
rather for those who hope to attain nearer 
to that end, and may as yet, although un- 
derstanding the game fairly well, through 
ignorance of reasons and system, be care- 
less. It has therefore been thought best 
to follow the arrangement pursued. The 
"Glossary" will be found to contain much 
information under alphabetical headings; 
the "Notes," though not exhaustive, are 
such prominent ones as appeared to the 
writer likely to be useful, as likewise are 
the "Hints for Beginners," and "Whist 
Maxims and Hints," while the "Errors" 
have been arranged in such sort of a con- 
secutive form that the "Table of Contents" 
will easily direct anyone to the information 
they may want contained therein. 



With "the "above apology for its appear- 
ance and defense of its form, I beg to offer 
this book for the kindly reception of the 
Whist Playing Public. 

Stringer O. Hii^ton. 
Capitola, 

Santa Cruz County, 

California. 
30th November, 1897. 



Contents 



Arguments Against Errors 

. I. Playing a lone hand i 

2. Refusino; to play a high card, because it 

will be taken 3 

3. Keeping back an Ace to catch advei- 

saries' King 4 

4. Leading, or playmg out, "Master Cards" 

too soon 5 

5. The over-fascination of trick making by 

trumping. . 7 

6. Leading from a Singleton in plain suits, 

and from short suits 7 

7. Leading from a Singleton in trumps 10 

8. Leading from a short suit in trumps 

(without great strengtli in plain suits). . 11 

9. Leading through an honour turned up, 

although weak in trumps 12 

10. Leading a high trump, from weakness. . . 13 

11. Leading trumps merely to save your 

long suit from being trumped 14 

12. Not leading trumps when strong 14 

13. Not returning your partner's lead in 

trumps 17 

14. Not leading up to an honour turned 

up when strong in trumps. 19 

15. Not continuing the trump lead because 

the highest trumps are against you ... 19 

16. Not going on with trumps because one 

adversary renounces 20 

17. Trumping when strong in trumps 22 

18. Refusing to trump a doubtful trick, 

when weak in trumps 23 

19. Forcing your partner's trump, when 

weak yourself. 24 

20. Playing Ace of trumps second hand 

second time round — trumps being led 
by adverse hand 24 



21. Finessing to partner in his trump lead, 

with Ace and one other trump 25 

22. Not leading from a strong suit because 

headed by a tenace 26 

23. Leading low, from Ace King and three 

smali ones, a high sequence as Queen 
Knave Ten; or from similar strength . . 26 

24. Leading Ace first, instead of King, from 

Ace Kmg, etc 27 

25. Not leading Ace first, with Ace and 

four others 28 

26. Leading low in a short suit, headed by 

Knave or a lower card 29 

27. Leading through the weak hand and up 

to the strong 30 

28. Leading from a tenace in a short suit ... 31 

29. Returning your partner's lead in a p' 'in 

suit immediately, before letting him 
know your own suit.. 31 

30. Returning your partner's lead with a low 

card. ...' 33 

31. Returning your partner's unnatural, or 

forced lead. . . 34 

32. Not playing King second round, on 

partner's Ace Queen led 35 

33. Playing Ace. second hand, first time 

round. " 36 

34. Playing King, second hand, with King 

and one small one 36 

35. Playing Queen, with Queen and another, 

second hand 39 

36. Playing Knave. v\'ith Knave and another, 

second hand 41 

37. Playing Queen, with Ace Queen and one 

small one. second hand 42 

38. Finessing in partner's long suit 44 

39. Refiising to put Ace on partner's Queen 

led 44 

40. Not playing lowest of a high sequence 

second hand 45 



False Objections to Correct Way 

Against giving information ... 47 

Against the System of American Leads 48 

Again.st the Long Snil Opening 50 

'Against leading from five trumps 51 

Against taking partner's trick sometimes.. . 51 

Twenty Hints for Beginners 53 

Fifty Whist Maxims and Hints 56 

Players' Notes 

Inattentive PLiy 61 

Inferences 62 

Strengthening- Play 65 

Discards 66 

Finessing 67 

Underplay 68 

Conventional Plays 

Exception to rule: Lead lowest of a suit. . 71 
Exception to rule: Lead highest of a se- 
quence . 73 

Exception to rule: Second hand play low. . 73 
Exception to rule: Third hand play highest 74 

Study your partner 74 

Trump notes 74 

Playing to Score 77 

Some correct plays 78 

Coups . 79 

Duplicate Whist .. 82 

Rhyming Rules 85 

Glossary of Whist Terms 87 

The Laws of Whist 106 

The Laws of Duplicate Whist. 113 

Whist Etiquette 117 

Conclusion 119 



WHIST LEADS. 

Ace Leads : 

1. From Ace, and four or more. 

2. From Ace, Queen, Knave, and one or more 
King Lead : 

1. From all suits of four or less which contain 

Ace King, or King Queen, or Ace King 
Queen. 

Queen Leads : 

"'i. From all suits of five or more, when the 
Queen is in sequence to Ace or King; i. e.j 
from all suits of fivtr or more which contain 
Ace King Queen, or King Queen 

2. From four or more in suits when the Queen 

is at head of a sequence to Ten; i. e., from 
four or more in suits which contain Queen 
Knave Ten . 
Knave Lead : 

I. From suits of five or more, when the Knave is 
in sequence to Ace or King; /. e., from suits 
of five or more which contain Ace King 
Queen Knave, or King Queen Knave. 
Ten Lead : 

I. From suits of four or more which contain 
King Knave Ten 
Fourth Best Leads : 

From all suits of four or more other than such as 
are mentioned above. 
Highest : 

Is led from suits of two or three. 
Trump Lead : 

Holdmg seven or ten, with two picture cards or 
three honours, lead as in plain suits, other- 
wise lead fourth best. [See Trump Note]. 
The above are taken from Whist Leads Con- 
densed, published on a card by Payot, Upham & 
Co., San Francisco. 



Arguments Against 
Errors. 



1. Playing a Lone Hand. 

Among general, and, alas, "all too com- 
mon" errors may well first be mentioned the 
case of a player ignoring the fact of a part- 
nership altogether in his play; or giving 
only some degree of consideration to his 
partner, but still making his own hand the 
chief object. This has been characterised 
by one of the best modern whist players as 
"the worst fault he knows in a whist 
player." 

The following kind of excuse is frequently 
heard given for some certain play: "I was 
afraid I wouldn't make my king of hearts, 
therefore I (led or) played that way." Now, 
first last and all the time, it should be borne 
in mind that the theory of modern scientific 
whist is for the management conjointly of 
the two hands (own and partner's) to the 
best advantage, and that the long suit system 



should be invariably used as the game best 
suited for that purpose. The argument 
("fear" above expressed) should 7?o^be*'that 
my king wouldn't make;" but at most, "that 
we (partner and m^^self ) would not make one 
of our heart tricks with that king of mine." 
Now what matter it, if we do 770^, so as we, 
instead — even bj^ sacrificing the said king — 
make more tricks in, or even without, that 
suit than we should obtain by 'making 
_the king'? Indeed, if sacrificing my king 
will help establish the suit, or gives us a 
good chance of so doing, why, that of itself, 
is good! 

The reason frequently suggested that you 
. might play your own hand to more advan- 
tage by treating it in your own way, and 
that the combined principle may lead 3^ou to 
sacrifice it, is based on error; for the s^^stem 
of legalized correspondence (by conventional 
play and signals) resulting from the combined 
principle, is calculated fuU}^ to realize any 
advantages your own hand ma}^ possess; and 
the cases in which sacrifice is required are 
only those in which the joint interest is un- 
doubtedl3^ promoted thereby. Probably the 
worst instance that can be given of insisting 
on plajdng your own hand in YOur own way 
without regard to your partner, and cer- 



3 

tainly the most harmful, is when it causes 
you to neglect the imperative duty of return- 
ing trumps immediately if led, or signalled 
for, by your partner, [see error 13]. 

For more advanced players who would 
not think of being guilty of this first error, 
I may however quote Pole's seeming quali- 
fication to the above remarks as follows: 

"It is understood etiquette in whist for the strong 
hand in trumps always to take precedence, and a 
partner who refuses to conform to this rule should 
be 'sent to Coventry' by all good players." 

It will be seen, however, that this is not 
really an exception to the combined treat- 
ment of partners' hands, but only a declar- 
ation as who shall take command of the 
combined forces. 

Maxim. — Never selfishly consider your 
own cards but play the correct game, which 
is the very best for the combined hands. 

2. Refusing to play a High Card because it 
will be taken. 
This is a bad error. It is stupid to feel 
hurt because the higher cards of one's suit 
are taken [see error i]; for it is the long cards 
we are trying to bring in and make, and 
the very fact of higher cards being taken is 
tending to that end, by strengthening [see 
glossary] one's suit. 



Not continuing the trump lead, because 
the highest trump cards are against you is 
an instance of this error, where the reason of 
the lead is totally ignored, and the results 
may be more disastrous, [see error 15]. 

3. Keeping back an Ace to catch aduer- 
sary's King. 

There seems to be a fascination for begin- 
ners (especially prevalent, may I say, among 
women and children, and extending to many 
old fashioned players) in ''catching" an ad- 
versary's high cards; and to such, this seems 
especially delightful when the ace of trumps 
''catches" the king. 

Indulging this feeling is too silly and tri- 
vial to need many words here. The advan- 
tage of "catching a king" may be paid for 
too dearly; the loss through playing im- 
properly is almost invariably greater than 
the supposed gain; and the object is not 
to take your opponents one particular card, 
but to make as many tricks, out of your 
own and partner's combined hands, as you 
possibly can. Suffice it further to add that 
keeping back any high card, that should be 
played for strengthening play, to "catch" the 
adversary's next best, is the worst of errors, 
and contrary to all the principles of the 



modern game: manely, playing the long 
suit system with combined hands, [See er- 
rors I, 2, 15, 21]. 

4. Leading or playing out master cards 
{as Aee, King, etc.) too soon. 

The realization of master cards has al- 
ways a fascination for the beginner. It is 
however bad to lead out the master cards 
Df a short suit (suit of three or less) , for you 
do not thus get the most out of such cards. 
Although 'tis true they win tricks, they 
might do even more for you, that is also 
help you to win other tricks with other 
cards, and help you to thwart the enemy. 
It is very desirable to retain the complete 
'command (of even a long suit) at a later per- 
iod, and not therefore generally good to 
part with your high cards at first. 

In the case of a short suit, you will pro- 
bably make these master cards anyway, 
vSooner or later, and they will then serve as 
^ 'cards of reentry," procuring you additional 
leads at a future period of the hand — when 
leads are more valuable, owing to the in- 
creased information later obtained — and en- 
able you to make further tricks; besides, 
which is most important, lessening your 



adversaries' power to do so, by taking the 
lead from them. 

In the case of a long suit, master cards 
will help to establish and bring it in, when 
trumps are out. 

It is no good excuse to urge "Oh, I had 
nothing to lead from," when you have a 
suit of four (a long suit), and every one has 
a proper suit to lead from in opening. The 
leading out of your commanding cards at 
the beginning of the hand is frequently the 
cause of this exclamation later: "Oh! I 
don't know what to lead." simply because 
you have played a selfish game; played out 
all your winning cards, and know nothing 
of your partner's or adversaries' suits; so 
have nothing to guide you any further. 

I may mention here, that the opposite ex- 
treme to this fault, namely wrongly keep- 
ing back ("bottling up") trumps and high 
cards, to make tricks with at the end of the 
hand, is equally a fault, although, in 
human nature such over carefulness being 
not so common a failing, it less frequently 
occurs, unless it be under the more spiteful 
form, such as, holding up an ace to catch 
an opponent's king. 

Maxim. — Any master cards you possess 
will take care of themselves. 



5. T'he over fascination of Trick-makiny by 

Trumping. 

This error is dealt with at length under 
the next heading, "lycading from a Single- 
ton," but of course it may be shown in 
other ways, as by leading from any short 
suit for the purpose of trumping or by 
trumping when you are strong in trumps and 
should pass (other special considerations 
being wanting), [see error 1 7] . 

It were well to always bear in mind 
that although a system of play for trumping 
might be more advantageous as regards 
the single hand, it has been and is conclus- 
ively held, that the long suit system 
(treated as a form of opening) is the only 
one which adapts itself favorably and con- 
veniently to the combination of the hands; 
and that by combination of the hands more 
tricks can be won than by playing a lone 
hand. 

6. Leading from a Singleton in plain Suits. 

Never lead originally a single card. One 
objection to opening with a singleton is that 
there can be no uniformity in your opening 
suits, for your next lead must be on some 
other grounds, and your orignal lead fre- 
quently so too,- this gives "a complexity 



which would effectually prevent favoumble 
combined action." 

The long suit system of opening is the 
one which best adapts itself to combined 
action, and playing the combined hands- 
is acknowledged the best form of whist. 

Take some. instances of the ill effects of 
this error: 

1. You lead a single card; your partner 
being strong in trumps leads trumps 
(rightly) and then returns your lead; you 
probably cannot ruff, and have established 
what may be your adversaries^ suit, thus- 
placing yourself and partner in a most dis- 
advantageous position. 

2. Your partner is weak in trumps, and 
with no }>articular strength in other suits^ 
returns your lead and you trump it. What 
is the consequence? You have lost one of 
your trumps, and your combined trump 
hands are weaker than ever, both of you 
being weak in trumps— for of course you 
were weak in trumps originally, or you 
would have led trumps, or at any rate not 
have led so as to have to ruff— your adver- 
saries then are strong in trumps, and will 
soon disarm you, establish their long suits j. 
regain the lead with trumps,, aad bring im 
tkeir long cards.- 



3- If strong in trumps yourself, you 
would not, as above stated, wish to ruff 
(your trumps would make anyway and 
you hold them back in case you wish 
to draw out the adversaries' trumps) 
hence, when you ruff on return of your 
singleton lead, your adversaries, as well 
as your partner, know you are weak in 
trumps — a weakness not desirable to be 
shown — and your right hand adversary can 
finesse against you on trumps being led. 

4. Remember leading from a singleton 
like leading any othet suit is helping to 
establish a suit, and the chance is two to one 
in the case of a singleton lead that that suit 
is your adversaries' and not your partner's. 

It is false reasoning to say, if you 
hadn't led a singleton at first your trumps 
might have been extracted before you could 
have made them by ruffing. Even were 
it so, that you would lose one or two tricks 
thus; you would assuredly lose more by 
sacrificing the combined strength of your 
two hands (played together). But reall}^ 
there is just as much chance of trumps 
being led — even if you do start with your 
singleton — before this suit is returned you, 
as there would have been it you had started 
the lead before with any other suit. 



The above arguments apply to a lead 
from a suit of two, and in a lesser degree to 
a lead from a suit of three. 

Maxim.- — If you are short of a suit and 
wish to trump it, you should wait until it 
is led by some one else, and you obtain 
your object without misleading your part- 
ner. 

7. Leading from a Singleton in trumps. 

However much you may desire trumps 
out, it is nearly always an error to do this 
— though some contend that with ace, king, 
or equivalent strength, in every other suit, 
it nia}^ be done. 

First, you mislead j^our partner as to 
your strength in trumps. Again your ad- 
versaries are twice as likely, as your part- 
ner, to have strength in trumps, and conse- 
quently twice as likely to be left with the 
command, and so to establish their long 
suit or suits, and bring in their long cards. 

The old fashioned "when-in-doubt-lead -a- 
trump" player may give as his reason: 'T 
thought I'd let my partner know how 
weak I was in trumps." It is not neces- 
sary, nor advisable, to expose this particu- 
lar weakness, even to your partner- — weak- 
ness in other suits it may be. 



This singleton lead is sometimes made 
with the idea of drawing two for one, on 
trumps being returned, which however 
would surely happen, whenever trumps are 
led, without putting your partner in doubt 
as to whether you hold five or more trumps 
or only one. 

Again if your singleton trump lead is 
taken b}^ the adversary, your partner 
though strong in trumps will, imagining 
you to be strong also, ruff on the earliest op- 
portunit^^ weakening trumps on your side, 
and thus probably sacrificing one round of 
those trumps which you desired out. 

As to when 3'ou should lead trumps see. 
error 12 and notes on trumps. 

Maxim.- Do not lead from a singleton in 
trumps, 

8. Leading from a Short Suit in Trumps 
(without great Strength in Plain Suits). 

The old fashioned ^maxim of "when in 
doubt play a trump" is often wrong and 
misleading. With less than four it is very 
seldom right to lead trumps at the commence- 
ment of the hand; for if the adversary are 
strong in trumps you are playing their 
game — moreover it will mislead your part- 
ner as to your strength in trumps. vSuch 



12 

a lead may however be warranted by very 
strong cards in all other suits (as ace, king, 
or equivalent strength) by which you may, 
perhaps, be able effectively to force a 
strong adverse trump hand, [see error 12]. 

9. Leading through an Honour turned up 
although weak in Trumps. 

Some players often lead trumps, although 
weak in them, because an honour is turned 
up by their left hand adversary; the only 
motive being to give their partner a sup- 
posed trifling advantage in making a trick 
in trumps. This is a delusion and relegates 
the lead to the lowest use of trumps (?'. e. 
playing them as ordinary or plain suits). 
In such a case the result is your part- 
ner is misled, and he will, playing the cor- 
rect game, and imagining you to be strong 
in trumps, by returning them probably des- 
troy your joint game. 

Sometimes too an irregular opening lead 
of this sort is made to catch an honour 
turned up; with the result most frequently 
of losing two tricks in trying to make 
one. 

Maxim. — Never lead through an honour 
turned up, unless you otherwise want 
trumps led. 



13 

1^. Leading a High Trump from Weakness. 
Trumps are sometimes led from a short 
suit in them by inferior players, in order 
as they say "to strengthen their partner." 
This play is founded on imperfect reason- 
ing, and may be an error; for the effect of 
leading high or strengthening cards is to 
benefit the hand that is longest in the suit; 
and in a case of uncertainty the chances 
are two to one that the longest hand is not 
with your partner, but with one of your 
opponents, in which case you favour the ad- 
versaries' game. 

Of course if you know j^our partner has 
the longest suit in trumps, such a lead will 
be right, if it has been shown that trumps 
is the right lead for you at all — as by your 
partner calling, or your adversaries cross 
ruffing — but remember if you lead trumps 
otherwise you will be leading from a short 
suit in trumps, and will mislead your 
'partner as to your tru,mp hand. 

The reason you lead high in other weak 
suits is to inform your partner it is your 
weak suit, or if returning high his lead, to 
strengthen his hand. 

Always play a more backward game 
in trumps, as the high cards will always 
make. 



u 



Rule. — With as many as seven trumps, 
lead highest to get them out quickl}^ but 
with less than seven alwa3'S lead lowest. 

II. Leading Trumps merely to save your long 
suit from being trumped. 

Although to lead trumps merely because 
your long suit is trumped, or is likely to be 
so, would seem at first sight to be sensible 
play, it is reall}^ an error; for if your adver- 
saries are strongest in trumps, you are only 
pla^ang their game — Indeed in such a case 
the greatest mischief that can be done to 
their strong trump hand is to force it to ruff, 
so depriving it of its preponderating 
strength. 

However if you know your partner is 
strongest in trumps, it is a good lead, and 
in case of a cross ruif against 3'ou it is good 
to at once lead out trumps. 

12. Not Leading Trumps when Strong. 

There are three uses for trumps: first, as 
a plain suit; secondly, for ruffing; and 
thirdl)^ (their most important function) to 
disarm your adversaries, and enable you to 
bring in your own and partner's long cards. 

According to the modern and scientific 
game of whist (the commanding cards are, 



15 

to a certain extent, left to themselves, and) 
the principal object is to establish 3^our long 
suits, so as to bring in 5^our long cards. 

Now long cards may be put to two uses: 
(i) forcing 3'our adversaries, and (2) mak- 
ing tricks. If 3^our adversaries a^e strong 
in trumps, 3^our long cards can be used for 
making tricks onl}^ on one condition, 
namel}^ that your adversaries must be dis- 
armed of their trumps before 3^our long 
cards are led. 

The questions arise, "With what number 
of trumps you ought to lead them?" and 
"Should 3^ou lead them apart from consid- 
erations as to the remainder of ^^our hand?" 

To answer the first question: With five 
trumps the chances are greatly in favour of 
three rounds clearing the suit; thus with 
five trumps very little risk will be run in 
leading them; and they should be led origin- 
ally. 

As regards the second question 3^ou may 
say, although strong in trumps, you see no 
reason to lead trumps, if you have no 
long suit or high cards, of your own, 
to bring in. This is a grave error; of 
course if your partner and 3^ourself are both 
devoid of good cards you cannot make 
tricks; hut your having no good suit makes 



f6 



the chances of your partner having one, 
the greater. You are not to think of j^our 
own hand onl}^, but also of 3"Our partner's 
[see error i]. He almost certainly will 
have a long plain suit, and will make his 
long cards, when 3^ou have succeeded in 
getting out the trumps; while with your 
long trumps j^ou can ruff w^hen the adver- 
saries attempt to make their long cards. 

It is an error to argue against leading 
trumps from strength, that 3^our partner 
may be short in your adversaries long suit, 
and may wish to ruff. This may be, but 
since you have two adversaries and only 
one partner, the chances are two to one in 
favour of ^/iejr being short in a suit, and 
wanting to ruff, rather than that your part- 
ner should. 

Not onl)^ is it right to lead trumps origin- 
alh^ when you hold five, but it is generally 
right to lead them when you hold four, two 
of which are honours, as after the third 
round, in all probability, you will be left 
with the command with one of your hon- 
ours. It is however good to see consider- 
able strength (of self or partner) in other 
suits, when leading from four trumps — 
otherwise if one of the adversaries holds 
four or five trumps you are playing his game. 



f? 



In many cases when you have derived 
information with regard to the position of 
the cards, you are justified, and often called 
upon, to lead out trumps from much 
greater weakness: instance, late in the 
hand, yourself and partner having com- 
mand of the plain suits, trumps may be led 
from moderate strength, [see error 8\ 

It may be safely laid down as a rule, not 
to be departed from that when you are 
strong in trumps you are bound to lead 
them (except upon rare occasions when it 
is necessary to establish your long suit be- 
fore doing so), further than this, it is 
often good to lead trumps when your part- 
ner by refusing to trump a doubtful trick 
has shown he has no trumps or is strong 
in them. 

Maxim. — With five trumps, lead; with 
four, use more discretion, [see trump 
notes] . 

13. Not Returning your Partner's Lead in 
Trumps. 

When your partner leads trumps, it is 
for one of two reasons; either because he is 
strong in them, or because he has com- 
mand in every other suit; and it is your 
first duty to help him get them out. 



1 8 



It is a bad error to refuse to do this, 
simpl}^ because you are weak in some plain 
suit and want to ruff. Remember 3^ou have 
two adversaries who may also want to do 
so — or, suppose one of your adversaries is 
strong in trumps, he can prevent your 
ruffing. 

The whole system of modern scientific 
whist, establishing and bringing in long 
suits— best achieved by the combined play of 
the two hands — demands above everything a 
concurrence in getting out trumps as soon 
as possible when either partner signifies 
that it is good. 

There are supposed to be only two good 
reasons for not returning your partner's 
lead in trumps: (i) Not having another. 
(2) Sudden death. There is, however, a 
third case in which you have an option, 
namely, where 3^our partner in desperation • 
leads trumps from weakness, in hopes you 
are strong; if, in such a case, you are also 
weak, you can return them, or not, as 5^ou 
think best for the game. This option requires 
careful using even bj^ skilled pla3^ers; the 
moderate pla3^er should be content with the 
Rule — Always return your partner's lead 
in trumps at the first opportunity. 



19 

14. Not leading up to an Honour turned up 

when strong in Trumps. 

Some hesitate to lead up to an honour, 
thinking they will be sacrificing a high 
trump of their partner's. True, he being 
obliged to play his best, may possibly lose 
a high card, but this is rather an advantage 
to 3^ou than otherwise, as it will strengthen 
your hand, and give you earlier the entire 
command, [see notes on glossary and 
strengthening play]. 

It is better for you to have entire com- 
mand in your own strong suit than for you 
to share it with your partner — this is so 
even in trumps. 

If you abstain from leading trumps your 
partner may imagine the strength is against 
him, and play accordingly (as for instance 
force you to ruff), and thus your side wall 
lose the great advantage of your strong 
trump hand. 

15. Not Continuing the Trump Lead because 
the Highest Trumps are against you. 

This is so plainly an error that it need 
only be reitterated that the object of lead- 
ing is to get trumps out so as to make tricks 
in your long suits, and not to make tricks in 



trumps — which in this case must make 
against you, and which if not, you should 
gladly sacrifice because you will make more 
tricks by playing the long suit system, 
[see error 2]. 

16. Not going on with Trumps because one 
adversary renounces. 

Players will frequently cease attempting 
to lead trumps out because one adversary 
fails, and they are drawing two from their 
own side for one from the adversary. 
Moreover the best writers on whist will tell 
you that in such a case you should not gen- 
erally continue the suit, and that your right 
play is to try and make your own and part- 
ner's trumps separately, and to force out 
your adversary's trumps by making him 
ruff. 

Now, you were strong enough to lead 
trumps, or your partner was strong enough 
in other suits to signal for them, and we 
will imagine your object — to clear the hand 
of trumps and so help establish and bring in 
your long suits — still remains. How can 
this be best accomplished? 

So long as you appear strong enough in 
trumps to probably draw out all that your 
one adversary has remaining, it is best 



(yourself or partner having cards or suits to 
bring in) to go on with the trump lead, and 
totally disarm the adversary (learning some- 
thing too from your other adversary's dis- 
card) — the lead should however be up to, 
rather than through, the renouncing hand — 
as soon as you see you are not strong 
enough to draw out the adversaries' trumps, 
stop, you are only playing his game, and 
your best way to accomplish your end is, to 
lead up for the adversary trump hand to 
ruff, and to make 3^ours and your partner's 
trumps separately. 

In the case where one of your adversaries 
holds the commanding card in trumps un- 
guarded, and the other adversary no trump 
at all, it is useless to continue the trump 
lead; better to get rid of the commanding 
trump by making the opponent ruff one 
of your long cards. 

If your partner renounces trumps it is of 
course good to go on and draw two for one; 
and this indeed does more good for you (the 
side that is strong in trumps, or wants 
trumps out) than would the above case, 
drawing two of yours for one of his, do 
the adversary (the weak trump side or side 
without your pronounced long cards or 
suits). 



17 . Trumping when Strong in Trumps. 

Many young players are only too pleased 
to be able to trump an adversary's suit — 
make a trick by trumping [see error 5] 
— and are apt to forget that the best use of 
trumps is to aid in establishing long suits or 
high cards, ruffing being onl}^ a secondary 
use to which to put trumps when you 
are weak in them. 

The rule, against trumping a doubtful 
trick when strong in trumps, is imperative-, 
further it is often advisable, when strong in 
trumps, to refuse to trump a trick which is 
certainly against you, as your trumps will 
ultimately make, and you may perhaps dis- 
card advantageously. However you should 
not persist in refusing to be forced if you 
find your adversary has entire command of 
his suit, or your partner evidently intends 
to force you. 

If your partner should refuse to trump (a 
certain trick against you) he, strong in 
trumps, will probably want trumps led, and 
you should carefully avoid forcing him (un- 
less perhaps you are strong in trumps your- 
self). 

The greatest harm you can do to a strong 
trump hand is to force it to ruff. 



23 

If you are weak in trumps yourself con- 
sider your partner strong and do not force 
him. 

Maxim. — Strong in trumps, pass a doubt- 
ful trick. 

18. Refusing to Trump a Doubtful Trick 
when Weak in Trumps. 

Often, as second hand, having none of 
the suit led, it would seem doubtful whether 
to trump the trick or leave it for one's part- 
ner; and some, who, like to "bottle up" their 
trumps are not lief to do the latter, even 
though they are weak in trumps (holding 
three or less). 

This is an error; the rule is: Weak in 
trumps, trump fearlessly; the reason for 
the rule: your trumps are of no use for 
their highest purpose (best use), namely, to 
aid in making your own or partner's long 
suits, or high cards. The advantages 
of following the rule: (i) It may save 
a commanding card of your partner's, 
which, in the adversaries' suit, will be 
very valuable. (2) It is a useful in- 
dication to your partner that you are weak 
in trumps — if you do not trump he infers 
you are strong, and such knowledge (which 
can only be reliable if you do always trump 



24 

a doubtful card when weak) and the infor- 
mation gained by your discard, may be of 
great value to you both. 

19. Forcing your partner's Trumps when 

Weak in trumps yourself. 

Although your partner renounces a suit, 
if you know him to be strong in trumps, 
avoid forcing him; further than this always 
when weak in trumps yourself, allow for the 
then probability of your partner being 
strong, and do not force him. The result of 
the error of in this case weakening your 
partner's trump hand, is, you leave it in the 
power of your opponents to draw out all 
the tiumps and bring in their suit. 

Exceptions to the above are: (i) When 
your partner has already shown a desire to 
be forced, as by trumping a doubtful card, 
or weakness in trumps as by refraining 
from forcing you and (2) when you have a 
cross ruff on. 

Maxim. — The greatest harm you can do to 
a strong trump hand is to force it to ruff. 

20. Playing Ace of trumps, Second hand. 
Second time round, trumps being 

led of adverse hand. 
This is generally an error; the play here 
should be different to (more backward than) 



25 



that in plain suits; for the ace of trumps 
will always make; and it is always an object 
to retain the command of your adversaries' 
suits as long as you convenienth^ can — this is 
especially so in trumps, as, if 5^ou get the last 
trump trick, it means bringing in your own 
and partner's lono^ suits, instead of the ad- 
versaries'. 

Hovrever the ace may sometimes be played 
as above correctly, as, when done to stop the 
lead of trumps (for the time) and bring in 
a cross ruif of yourself and partner. 

21. Finessing to Partner in kis Trump lead 
with Ace and one other trump. 

This is an error; for trumps are not being 
put to their meanest use, i. e. of making 
tiicks as a plain suit, but are being used for 
their highest purpose, to establish long 
suits. Your partner wanting trumps out, 
you should take what, he leads with the ace, 
even if you have onl}^ one more, and lead 
back the other card at once. It is not the 
commanding cards in trumps you want 
to retain in this case. [see notes on 
finessing]. 



26 



22. Not Leading from a Long Suit, because 

headed ly a Tenace. 
Many players will not lead from a strong 
suit if headed by a tenace; preferring for 
instance to lead from ten, nine, three to 
ace, queen, four, two. They argue, that by 
holding up the ace-queen, suit, the}^ stand 
a better chance of "catching the king." 
That ma}^ be so; but they purchase this 
advantage too dearly; for the probable 
loss from leading the weak suit may be 
taken as greater than the probable gain 
from holding up the tenace. Further the 
misleading of one's partner by not conform- 
ing to the recognized long suit lead, may re- 
sult in much greater loss throughout not only 
the hand, but the whole game, than is gen- 
erally thought of. It is however better not 
to lead from the ace-queen suit if j^ou hold 
another long suit from which you can lead, 
or if you have another lead that may bene- 
fit, and cannot deceive 3^our partner. 

23. Leading low from Aee, King and three 
small ones, a high sequence, as 

Queen^ Knave, Ten; or from 
similar strength. 
An exception to the general rule of lead- 
ing lowest, or fourth best, should be made 



27 



with ace, king, and three others, or 
similar strength; /or if you begin with the 
smallest, reserving j^our two highest cards, 
for second and third rounds, you would 
probably have one of them trumped. 

The better play is to play the high card 
first, and delay establishing 3- our suit. 

Another exception from beginning with 
the lowest or fourth best is that the highest 
of a sequence (except ace, king) should be 
led; the endeavour being to force out 
the higher cards — this will probably be 
achieved in two rounds, leaving you then 
with the best card, and probably the entire 
command. 

The general rule of leading lowest, or 
fourth best, however applies more generally 
ior leading trumps, and also for leading such 
plain suits as above when trumps are out, 
as the motive for the exception no longer 
exists. 

24. Leading Ace first, instead of King, 
from Aee, King, etc. 

To do this is a case of not observing the 
old recognized form of leads, which if 
adherred to, may convey much useful in- 
formation to one's partner. No good part- 
ner would trump your king led— for if you 



28 



have not the ace, you want the adversary 
to play it, that he may not hold the win- 
ning card of your suit — and if you take 
the trick, and change the lead, your 
partner knows the ace is with you or your 
left hand adversary, whereas if ace had 
been led, he would know nothing as to the 
position of the king. 

When you have trumped another suit, it 
is better (unless you have great confidence 
in your partner) to lead ace first, from ace, 
king, as if 5^our partner happen to have 
none of your suit, he might trump the king 
in order to lead again the suit you are 
trumping, i. e. to establish a cross ruff. 

Rules. — With ace king and others, lead 
king before ace; with ace king queen, 
lead king then queen; but with ace king 
queen, in a suit of five or more, lead ace 
first. 

25. Not Leading Aee first, with Ace and 
four others. 

With ace and four small cards of a suit, 
some will lead a small card first. This is an 
error. If you have not also the king or 
queen and knave, the ace should be led first, 
then a small one — otherwise there is a 
chance— you holding so many of the suit— of 



29 

your ace being trumped in the second round. 
Moreover this is perhaps the chief advan- 
tage, the recognized lead tells your part- 
ner how many of the suit you have. 

With sequence, ace, king, queen, knave 
and another, the knave should be led. 

An exception to the usual lead may 
sometimes be made if you have a bad part- 
ner, who would not count your hand from 
your lead, and you ma}^ then begin with a 
small one, if you think it the best chance of 
making two tricks in the suit (as may be 
the case if you are strong in trumps). 

26. Leading Low in a Short Suit headed by 
Knave or a lower card. 

In case of a forced lead (from a suit of 
three or less) it is best to lead the highest. 

If, having no indication as to your part- 
ner's strength in the suit, you lead the 
lowest, you run the risk of making your 
partner think you led from numerical 
strength; however, if you lead out the high 
card, you at once give up the command of 
the suit, and unless your partner has 
strength in it (the chances being against 
this) you leave yourself at the mercy of 
your opponents. 



30 



With a short suit, headed b}^ knave or 
a lower card, you should certainly lead the 
highest (as retaining such a card would not 
be likely to stop the adversaries from estab- 
lishing the suit). The best short suit to 
lead from, is one so headed. 

Ace, or king, or queen, and one other are 
bad suits to lead from, as by holding them 
up, you and your partner stand a better 
chance of making tricks in the suit; and if 
(as the chances are) it be the adversaries' 
suit, you keep the power of obstructing it, 
and obtaining the lead at an advanced 
period of the hand. 

Of course if you have any guide that 
your partner has strength in j^our weak 
suit, you should always lead your highest 
of it. 

Rule. — When compelled to lead from 
three cards, lead the highest unless it be 
the ace, king, or queen, with two low ones; 
also from any two cards lead the highest 
generally, if compelled to lead. 

27 . Leading through the Weak Hand and 
up to the Strong Hand. 

This is contrary to principle, so much so 
that, if you win your partner's lead 
cheaply, you should not return it — which 



31 

would be leading through the weak hand--as 
the lead will come more properly again from 
your partner. 

It may be done sometimes by expert 
players later in the game to replace the lead, 
and in trumps, to get trumps out. 

28. Leading from a lenace in a Short Suit. 

Many beginners will think ace, queen 
and another their strong suit, and therefore 
the right one to lead from. This is wrong [see 
long suit in glossary]; it is really a weak, 
or short suit; and for other reasons un- 
desirable as a lead. Formerly it was consid- 
ered an error to lead from a tenace (best 
and third best cards of suit) at all, because 
one loses all chance of the (possible) advan- 
tages of the combination — namely, that if 
you are fourth player, you will certainly 
(bar trumping) make two tricks in the suit 

This really holds good as regards a short 
suit (three or less); but if your tenace suit 
is your longest, the advantage of opening 
the game correctly will outweigh this 
chance. It is always best, if left with a 
tenace towards the end of the hand, to hold 
it back and try and get it led up to. 



32 

29. Returning your Partner's Lead in a 

plain suit immediately, before letting 

him know your own suit. 

You are not bound, except in trumps, to 
to return your partner's lead at once; in- 
deed it is generally more desirable that 
your first lead should be from your own 
long suit, to give your partner information 
as to 3^our hand, so that he may have a 
guide to another lead when his own suit is 
stopped, and joint action may be promoted^ 
Knowledge of your strength given 3^our 
partner will also help him to deduce some 
inferences as to your weak suit, and as to 
the adversaries' suits. 

However, if 3'ou hold the master card in 
your partner's suit, 3^ou should part with it 
as soon as possible, so as to get it out of 
your partner's way, and also to prevent 
him imagining it is against him. 

It is good if you win with the ace and can 
return an honour to do so directly, as it will 
greatly strengthen >^our partner's hand. 

If you win wdth king, queen, or knave, 
and have only small cards remaining, 
the return of a small card is apt to dis- 
tress more than strengthen your partner's 
hand; and if you win the first trick in your 
partner's lead cheaply you should be cau- 



33 



tious in returning it, as the strength must 
be between 3^our partner and your right 
hand adversar}^ 

30. Returning your Partner's Lead with a 
Low card. 

This is a very common error with young 
players. 

Your partner holds more than the av- 
erage number of cards in the suit he leads, 
and the chances are you are short. It will 
therefore be more for the joint benefit that 
3^ou play with reference to his hand and not 
your own — i. e. give him the more import- 
ant part of the play in reference to such 
suit — hence you should get rid of the com- 
mand of your partner's suit, and adopt 
strenghening play in it generally, [see glos- 
sary]. 

It has become a conventional rule to re- 
turn your partner the highest you have of a 
weak suit, and that always if you hold the 
best or master card in it; or second and 
third best. 

But when numerically strong in your 
partner's suit yourself, and you have not 
the best or master card after the first round, 
you may return your lowest card. In this 
case when you and your partner are both 



34 



strong, the return of the lowest tells him 
you are strong and prevents him from 
finessing in a suit which must be trumped 
third round. 

The object of the rule of returning the 
higher (you having only two left) is: to aid 
your i)artner in establishing his long suit; 
to get rid of the command; to give partner 
an opportunity of finessing; and to inform 
him how many cards of the suit you hold. 
Every one of these advantages are thrown 
away on an unsystematic player; so that 
with a very bad partner, 3^ou may (by playing 
the sound game) be only wasting good cards 
and affording information to the adversary, 
and may therefore be excused if you depart 
from the rule. 

Rule. — Return your highest of your part- 
ner's lead. 

81. Returning your partner's Unnatural or 
Forced Lead. 

This is often done by a player, even 
though short in that suit himself also, on 
the general principle of returning one's 
partner's lead; but it is an error neverthe- 
less. 

A forced lead (from three or less cards) 
should generally be known to you by the 



35 



card your partner plays, and you ought not 
to return it unless strong in that suit your- 
self, when you make it a lead of your own. 
In the case of a trump lead even, which 
is forced — that is from weakness, and in 
desperation, without great strength in all 
other suits — you rightly have the option, if 
weak yourself, of returning the lead or not, 
[see error 13] though it would seem to the 
writer unadvisable for any but expert (fine) 
players to avail themselves of this choice of 
not returning a trump lead, for, from the 
greater certainty of play more good is likely 
to accrue among average players by stick- 
ing to the hard and fast rule in this case. 

32. Not playing King Second Round, on 
partners 'Ace, Queen, Led. 

With ace, queen, knave, ace is led then 
queen, and yo\i, holding the king, should put 
it on your partner's queen (if you can trust 
to his leading correctly) so as not to ob- 
struct his establishment of the suit; he then 
obtains command with the knave and, 
trumps being out, can lead and make (bring 
in) his long cards in the suit; whereas if 
you had passed the queen and taken the 
third trick with j^our king, you would most 



36 



likely have been unable to lead the suit for 
him to make these. 

33. Playing Ace, Second Hand, First Time 

round. 

This error is opposed to all principles of 
"keeping command of your adversaries' 
suit," and should hardly ever be done, if 
short in the suit one might almost say never. 

The ace however is rightly played on an 
honour led; and to cover a high card, if you 
hold the next above and the next below it. 

Even with the ace and four small ones it 
is better generally to pass the trick, unless 
the game is in a critical state, and 3^ou are 
weak in trumps; or if you sUvSpect a "single- 
ton" lead, when play your ace. 

34. Playing King, Second Hand, with King 

and one Small one. 

Although the odds are in favour of your 
king making the trick, still this is erro- 
neous play. 

The lead is from your right hand adver- 
sarj^'s longest suit. If he held five or more 
the ace would have been led. So if the 
original lead is from five — the ace, if not 
led, must lie to your left. If your left hand 
adversary hold it, your king if plaj^ed. 



37 

would be at once covered; and, if your part- 
ner hold it, it would be unnecessary to play 
your king, as he could take the trick with 
his ace, or may be with a smaller card. 

Moreover if you play the king and secure 
the trick, your left hand adversary would 
throw away his lowest, and you deprive 
him of no strength; whereas if the trick be 
left to your partner, he w^ould either 
weaken the third player, or take the trick 
cheaply. Further in addition to your part- 
ner weakening the third player, 3^ou have 
the king held up over the original leader. 

Now suppose the original leader held 
only four of the suit; the acknowledged 
odds are still in favour of the ace being to 
your left. In such a case the same argu- 
ments apply as before. If not — /. e. if the 
original leader holds the ace — your partner 
has an equal chance of winning the trick 
•with the third player. If he does win it, 
he weakens the third player, and if he does 
not, he keeps back his strength. 

Suppose, the ace being to your right, the 
third player wins the trick with the queen; 
he returns the suit, and your king falls to 
the original leader's ace. Now if your 
partner hold the knave, he will have the 
command — the command to your partner 



38 



with the knave now is of more value than 
one trick made with your king would have 
been — and 3^ou wnll have an opportunity 
of discarding; if he does not hold the knave, 
by playing your king second hand in the 
first round, you would have left your adver- 
saries wdth the entire command for the 
original leader will be perfectl}' safe in fin- 
essing on the suit being returned, in addi- 
tion to the fact of his side holding the two 
highest cards. Remember it is good (for 
your side) to retain command of 3^our ad- 
versaries' suits as long as you convenienth' 
can. 

Again, with ace to j^our right, and j^our 
partner holding the queen w^hich secures 
the trick, when your left hand adversar^^ re- 
turns the suit, 3^our king again falls to the 
original leader's ace. But if 3^ou had 
played 3^our king in the first round (and 
won the trick) j^our partner's queen would 
be completely hemmed in, unless the knave 
is to 3^our left, and j^our partner holds the 
ten as well as queen; and in such case the 
trick might w^ell have been left to him, for 
the knave w^ould have fallen to his queen, 
and you and j^our partner w^ould be left 
with the second and third best cards (king 
and ten) in N^our adversaries' long suit. 



39 



One further great objection to this error 
of play is that you expose your hand to 
the original leader, who will finesse against 
you on the suit being returned. 

Some exceptions maybe mentioned where 
king may be played second hand from king 
and small one: (i) If a queen or knave be 
led you are justified in playing your king, 
for if the ace be against you the king will 
certainly fall if kept back — here is a case 
in which the rule of the old school, "on an 
honour put an honour," may generally be 
followed; but if you are strong in the suit, 
it is better even in this case to husband 
your strength and play a smaller card. 

(2) When absolutely necessar}' to ob- 
tain the lead, to get trumps out for instance, 
or to prevent a cross ruff, you are justified 
in playing your king. 

(3) With king and one low one, play 
king second hand if nine or eight are led. 

(4) In trumps play king from king and 
one low card. 

Rule. — Second hand play low. 

35. Playing Queen with Queen and another 
Second Hand. 

The original leader does not hold both ace 
and king, so either the ace or the king lies 



40 

to your left. Suppose the original leader 
hold the ace. Then either your partner 
holds the king, or your left hand adversary 
does. If it be your left hand adversary, he 
would at once cover your queen, and if it 
be your partner, he could take the trick 
with it, and at the same time secure one of 
the head cards of the third player. 

Or suppose the original leader hold the 
king, then either your partner holds the 
ace or your left hand adversary does; if it 
be your left hand adversary, your queen 
w^ould be taken, and if it be your partner 
he could secure the trick with his ace, and 
would weaken the third player as before. 

It may be argued that it sometimes be to 
your advantage to play the queen, but this 
is very seldom, as by so doing the adver- 
saries' suit would be almost certainly es- 
tablished after two rounds- — ^unless your 
partner hold ace knave and ten, when of 
course it would be better to leave the trick 
to him. Anyway the general advantage of 
playing according to (the correct) vSystem is 
greater than this chance of advantage. 

Again the odds are against the cards be- 
ing placed as supposed, namely, your part- 
ner holding the ace, and the original leader 
the king; and under all other circumstances 



41 

j-ou would lose b}^ playing the queen. It 
is needless to discuss the case when both 
ace and king are to your left. 

As an exception, you might be justified 
in playing your queen, if it were necessary 
for you to try and obtain the lead. You 
might also be justified in covering a ten or 
knave. 

36. Playing Knave, with Knave and Another, 
Second Hand. 

If a small card be led, the original leader, 
without doubt, does not hold either ace 
and king, or king and queen. So the lead 
is evidently not from the court cards, un- 
less it be from ace and queen, which the 
original leader would hold back, if he 
could do so without injuring the general 
play of the hand [see tenace in glossary]. 
So then it is more than probable that tw^o 
cards to your left are higher than the 
knave. 

If your left hand adversary holds one of 
them, it would be useless to play your 
knave second hand, and if your partner 
holds them both, he can take the trick with 
one of them, or even with a lower card. 

An advantage might be gained by play- 
ing the knave, if the original leader hold 



42 



the queen, and ^^^our partner the ace and 
king; but even then in many cases no dif- 
ference would be made by playing a small 
card; for your partner, if at a loss for a 
lead, might lead through the strong and up 
to the weak hand, keeping back the com- 
mand in your adversaries' suit, in which 
case your knave would mnke; for the origi- 
nal leader w'ould not play his queen. 

Hence, it is seldom that anything could 
be gained by playing the knave in the 
first round, and there are two great disad- 
vantages — first, the original leader would (if 
able) finesse against you on the suit being 
returned; and, secondly, your partner w^oiild 
be in a state of doubt as to whether you 
were signaling for trumps or not. 

With ten and anotlier, the same argu- 
ments will apply, and the case will be even 
stronger against your playing the ten 
second hand first time round. 

S7. Playing Queen, with Ace and Queen and 
one Small one, Second Hand. 

The chances are, as a rule, in favour of 
the king being to 5^our left. If your left 
hand adversary hold it, your queen w^ould 
be taken; and if your partner does, he can 



43 

take the trick, and at the same time secure 
one of the third player's leading cards. 

But suppose the original leader led from 
the king. It is then an even chance 
whether your partner holds the higher 
card, or the third player, and your partner 
has the advantage of Ij'ing over the third 
player. 

However if you hold five of the suit, as 
the lead is in all probability from at least 
four, the chances are then in favour of the 
king being to your right, and somewhat in 
favour of the suit being trumped in the 
second round — it almost certainly will be 
in the third round — thus with ace, queen 
and three others, second hand, you are 
perfectly justified in playing the queen. 
Further with ace, queen, ten, put on the 
queen, as you thus make certain of two 
tricks, unless you are led through twice, 
and both king and knave be over you. 

But, if the trumps are out, or you have 
the power to get them out, i. e. are strong 
in trumps, it is generally right to play a 
small one however many you hold, as it is 
then necessary to keep a strong hand over 
the original leader. 

If the knave be led by a good player, 
play the ace second hand — on an honour 



4.4 

put an honour — for he evidently does not 
hold the king, as ne wjliI 1 have played it 
from weakness, and a small one from 
strength; and if he hold king, knave, ten, 
the ten would have been led. 

General Rule.- — With ace, queen and one 
or two small ones, you should pla}^ a small 
one; but with three or more small ones, 
play the queen if weak, and a small one if 
strong, in trumps. 

With the double tenace (ace, queen, ten) 
in trumps, play ten second hand, for the 
larger tenace is the better to hold. 

88. Finessing in Partner's Long Suit. 

This is an error, as you lose all advan- 
tages of strengthening play, where it is 
most required. However with ace and 
queen, first time round, it is by some con- 
sidered allowable, provided you get rid of 
the ace shortly afterwards. The alternative 
play is to take the first trick with the ace 
and return the queen, which is good 
strengthening play. 

39. Refusing to put Ace on Partner's Queen 
led. 

To refuse to put on the ace is really a 
finesse in your partner's (long) suit [see 



45 



notes on finesse], and is against the princi- 
ples of strengthening play, and therefore 
not recommended by the writer, though 
some of the authorities consider it the best 
play; the rule being given to "play low on 
an honour led by partner;" the argument 
being, that the lead is from a head sequence, 
and if the king is on your partner's left — 
your right — it is, by keeping your ace, 
hemmed in. 

Of course if you refuse to put the ace on, 
and the king lies with the fourth player, it 
makes this first trick, and leaves your side 
with entire command of the suit; but I con- 
tend it (the king) could be equally well, or 
better, got rid of in this case, by the return 
of a high card led in the second round; and, 
that playing the ace has all the advantages 
of keeping to a uniform system of play. 

The better play seems to me to be to 
take the trick with the ace, and return a 
high card. 

40. Not Playing Lowest of a High Sequence 
Second Hand. 

An exception to the general rule, "second 
hand play low," is (as stated under con- 
ventional play) that where a high sequence 
is held the lowest of such sequence should 



46 



be played, and not the lowest card held of 
the suit. It is an error not to play the 
lowest of such sequence second hand, for if 
you do not, a lower card than one of that 
sequence may be played third hand, and 
your partner's best card of the suit — and 
remember you want your side to keep com- 
manding cards of the adversaries' suit as 
long as possible- perhaps the ace, will be 
required to take the trick. 

Example. — Suppose the two of hearts is 
led, and you hold queen, knave, five; and 
say that you, second hand, play the five, 
hoping the king will fall third hand and 
your partner take it with the ace, but in- 
stead the third hand plays the ten and 
forces your partner's ace. Now^ had you 
played; the knave, you would not only have 
taken the trick, but with the help of your 
partner's underplay lead, you might have 
made three tricks in the suit. 



False Objections to 
Correct Play. 



Allegations against Giving Information 
{as, conventional leads, plays, signals, etc.') 

It is sometimes objected that all indica- 
tions given to 3^our partner are also given 
your opponents, and that, by thus enlight- 
ening tvv^o enemies and one friend, you es- 
tablish a balance to your disadvantage. 
Acting on this principle a bad player will 
sometimes hold back cards that should be 
played, or play palpably incorrectly, so to 
say, "play sly," to mislead the adver- 
sary. 

This is erroneous; for, if the opponents 
are also good players, they will be using the 
same system, and the positions (as regards 
information given and received) must be 
equal; if they are not good players they will 
not profit by the indications you give, and 
the whole advantage will rest with you. 
Besides even good players often direct their 



48 



attention more particularly to their part- 
ner's play, paying less heed to their 
opponents, which gives a slight shade 
of advantage (in your legalized cor- 
respondence). 

The more logical form of reasoning is 
given by Pole thus: 

"If you play obscurely you are in constant dan- 
ger of getting obstructions, instead of help, from 
your partner, which would give you three op- 
ponents to fight single handed " 

Remember the golden maxim for whist 
that, ''It is of more importance to inform 
your partner, than to deceive your ad- 
versary." 

Allegations against the System of American 
Leads. 

It is alleged by sdme that the game is 
complicated. This cannot be truly said for 
all that the American System requires is 
three things (as stated in American Whist 
by G. W. P.): 

(i) That the leader holds exactly three cards 
higher than the low card led; (2) that, if he leads 
a high card and then a low one, he has exactly two 
cards higher than his second lead; and (3) that, 
having led a high card, when following with an- 
other high one he plays the highest of two equally 
good if he has but four cards of the suit, and the 
lowest of the two if he has five. 



49 



In the words of Cavendish, all an Amer- 
ican asks his partner to observe is: 

(i) That when he originally leads a low card, 
he holds exacth' three of the suit higher than the 
card led. 

Example. — Holding queen, ten, eight, six, three, 
two, lead the six. 

(2) That when he originally leads a high card 
and then a low one, he still holds exactly two cards 
higher than the second card led. 

Example. — Holding ace, knave, nine, seven, 
four, lead ace then seven. 

(3) That when he originally leads a high card 
and follows it with a high card, he indicates in 
many cases to any who knows the analysis of 
leads, as every whist player ought, whether his 
strong suit consisted of four or more than four 
cards. 

Example. — Holding knave, ten, nine, seven, 
six, lead knave then nine; or, holding knave, ten, 
nine, seven, lead knave then ten. [see glossary, 
American leads]. 

Mr. Trist promulgated his system of 
American I^eads in 1884; his plan simply 
comprised lead of original fourth best — the 
card of minimum numerical strength — or 
lead of ace and then fourth best, and he 
then explained how the original leader, 
when he became second, third or fourth 
player, vShould play his equal trick-making 
cards, giving the American rule, as fol- 
lows: 



50 



"On the second round of your suit, which you 
originally led, if you remain with two high indif- 
ferent cards, both of which your partner can infer 
to be in your hand, play the higher if you opened 
a suit of four cards, the lower if a suit of hve 
or more.'' 

The advantage of the American leads 
is that they "consolidate the received 
practice, and extend a law of uniformity 
to cases not previously provided for," thus 
at once communicating to his partner pre- 
cise information as to the hand of the 
leader. 

Allegations against the "Long-Suit" 
Opening. 

That in many cases it cannot be followed 
to its conclusion, the strength of trumps be- 
ing against you, or from some untoward fall 
of the cards. 

In this case it is still the safest, as, 
though it may not succeed for yourself, it is 
the way least likely to help your adversary 
(as the alternative of leading up to their 
long suit probably), and further, gives 
you the best means of obstructing him by 
forcing his hand. Nor does the adoption of 
this play as an opening bind you to alwa3^s 
implicitly follow it up. [see preface]. 



51 

Allegations against Leading from Five 
Trumps. 

That you have no long suit, or that your 
hand is otherwise weak. 

This is no sound argument, for, on the 
combined principle, 3^ou work for your 
partner as well as yourself; and the proba- 
bility is, if you are weak, he is strong, and 
will have long suits and good cards to bring 
in. Moreover, if unfortunately you both hap- 
pen to be weak, any other play would be 
still worse for you — as helping your adver- 
saries to their long suit and object, [see 
error 12, and notes on trumps]. 

Allegations against Taking your Partner's 
Trick, sometimes. 

To win a trick already your partner's 
with a higher card is by beginners often 
thought very queer, if not very bad, play — 
they consider it a waste of a high card. 

There are however some cavSes where this 
is advisable, and very good play — instances, 
( I ) to get high obstructing cards out of 3'our 
partner's way; (2) to get the lead, so as to 
enable you to lead up to the weak hand, or 
to alter the position of the lead, because 
with your partner it is not placed for the 



best advantage of your combined hands. 
[see notes on coups]. 

To trump your partner's trick (certain or 
doubtful) would by those not fully informed 
seem an even worse waste of a good card, 
and so very bad play indeed! 

This is not always so; the second instance 
above given applies here too. and it is fre- 
quently an error to refuse to trump even 
your partner's trick. If a doubtful trick, 
and you are "weak in trumps, trump fear- 
lessly," for, if instead of trumping you dis- 
card, you are misleading your partner by 
telling him you are strong in trumps. 
However it is somewhat doubtful whether 
(even if weak in trumps) you should trump 
an original lead of your partner's, as you 
are postponing the establishment of his 
lonsf suit. 



Twenty 
Hints for Beginners. 



1 . Sort your cards carefully according to 
suit and rank, but avoid all artificial system, 
as placing trumps in a particular place 
(which is childish), but always name the 
trump mentall^^ at every deal. 

2. Count the number you have of each 
suit before beginning to play. 

3. Observe carefully; look constantly at 
the board (table). 

4. Watch the cards as they fall, and 
draw your inferences at the time. 

5. It is not desirable to attempt to rec- 
ollect too much at once. First, count the 
honours in each suit as they fall and re- 
member the trump card; and, when prac- 
ticed in this, count similarly the tens and 
nines, first directing your attention to your 
own most important suit, then to your part- 
ner's suit also, and so on. 

6. Next attend to the suit led originally 
by each player, and watch in the second 
round whether the lead was from strength 
or weakness. 



54 



7- Try and remember how many of each 
suit are out, and the best remaining cards 
in each suit; where that is, and what is the 
best card of the suit in your hand. 

8. Then especially try and calculate as 
far -as possible the number of cards your 
partner holds in each suit, as it is played 
( — with this help you can often tell the num- 
ber he holds in other suits — ); and apply the 
same course to your opponents. 

9. It is important to note the cards 
played by 3^our left hand adversary, for if 
he proves weak in a suit, you may avoid 
wasting high cards when small ones would 
win the trick over him. This is especially 
necessary, as your partner is likely to lead 
up to a weak hand. 

10. Manage 3^our small cards as carefully 
as your big ones, so as not to mislead your 
partner as to your hand, and note carefully 
the fall of small cards. 

1 1 . Always bear in mind the reason why 
(in the ordinary game) you ought to do a 
certain thing; and never do anything with- 
out having a reason for it. 

12. Remember to keep giving your 
partner information, and to watch for in- 
formation as to his hand, so as to play the 
hands conjointly. 



13- Consider the hand of 3^our partner 
fully as much as your own. 

14. Play and lead deliberately: there is 
no hurry. This does not mean 3^ou are to 
try and obtain the character of a good 
player by pausing sl long time before play- 
ing, when your right play is obvious. 

15. Play your cards quietly, do not 
bang them on the table. 

16. Do not "jaw" 3^our partner; even if 
he plays badh^ do not quarrel with him, 
but keep him on fair terms with himself. 

17. Three remarks only are allowable at 
whist during the play of the hand: 

(i) The question, "What are trumps?" 

(2) The interrogatory, "Having no trumps, 
partner!'' 

(3) The demand, "Draw (or place) your cards." 
(the last must be made before playing to a trick) . 

18. Do not be discouraged if sound play 
sometimes fail of success. 

19. Whist presents great scope for the 
exercise of skill, patience, tact, and good 
temper. 

20. Your observation, memory, and in- 
ferences must be supplemented by good 
judgment in your play before you are 3. fine 
player. 



Fifty 
Whist riaxims and Hints 

From Cavendish, Ames, Pole, and others. 



Know the leads and when to make them; 
Know the tricks and when to take them; 
Know the rules and when to break them; 
Know the laws and ne'er forsake them. 

1. Always attend to the game. Inatten- 
tion is a crime at whist. 

2. It is of more importance to inform 
your partner, than to deceive the adversary. 

3. Be careful not to deceive your part- 
ner in your lead, or play. To deceive your 
partner is a crime at whist. 

4. Study 3^our partner's hand; and his 
play. 

5. The best whist player is he who plays 
the game in the simplest and most intelli- 
gent way. 

6. The first lead is by far the most im- 
portant one in the w^hole hand. 

7. Do not fancy you can play whist un- 
til vou know the leads. 



57 



8. Any master cards you possess will 
take care of themselves. Do not lead them 
out at once. 

9. lyead first from your strongest suit, 
that is the longest, or best of two equally 
long suits. 

10. When a low card should be led, lead 
the fourth best. 

11. When you do not follow a high card 
led with another high card, lead your 
fourth best. 

12. Trumps best use is to aid in making 
your own or your partner's long suit, or 
high cards. 

13. With five always, with four often, 
lead trumps. 

14. The proper use of trumps, when 
weak in them, is for ruffing. 

15. If weak in trumps, trump fearlessly. 

16. If strong in trumps, do not trump a 
doubtful trick second hand. 

17. The greatest harm you can do to a 
strong trump hand is to force it to ruff. 

18. Do not force your partner if weak in 
trumps yourself; consider him strong then. 

19. It is good to force the adversaries' 
strong trump hand to ruff. 

20. It is important to retain a (long) 
trump in an otherwise weak hand. 



5« 

21. It is very desirable to retain the 
complete command of a suit at a late period 
of the hand. 

22. Get rid of the command of your 
partner's suit. 

23. Keep the command of 3^our adver- 
saries' suit as long as you conveniently can. 

24. Lead the ace, lowest card, or fourth 
best, of 3^our long suit. 

25. Lead from a long suit headed with 
king or queen rather than from an equal one 
headed with ace. 

26. Lead up to the weak suit and 
through the strong one. 

27. Lead highest, play lowest, of a se- 
quence. 

28. In the second round of j^our suit, 
lead the winning card if you have it. 

29. Secondhand, play low; third hand, 
play high. 

30. Discard should be from your weak- 
est or shortest suit; but, if trumps are de- 
clared against you, from your best protected 
suit. 

31. Keep a card with which to return 
your partner's lead. 

32. Do not unguard an honour. 

33. Third hand only finesses to part- 
ner's original lead when holding ace, queen. 



59 

34- Fourtli hand, win trick as cheaply 
as 3"ou can. 

35. Indications of strength should be 
looked for in the leads. 

36. Indications of weakness are given 
by the plaj^ of the third hand, and by the 
discard. 

37. If 5^our king make, it does not fol- 
low that your partner has the ace. 

38. Do not force your adversary with 
3'our best card of a suit, unless you have the 
second best also. 

39. Keep the command of your partner's 
suit in his hand rather than in your own. 

40. By courtes}^ a player may look at 
the last trick turned. 

41. In duplicate whist do not forget to 
place the cards toward the center of the table, 
not on the edge of it. 

42. Cards should be shuffled above the 
the table, not below or on it. 

43. A misdeal passes the deal to the 
next hand. 

44. Do not expose j^our cards. A card 
played out of turn is an exposed card and 
can be called. 

45. Do not detach a card in your hand 
ready to play before your turn. 

46. Consider {i. e. do not pla^^^'quick) ; 



62 



when the trick has been turned and quitted, 
should you innocently remark to ^^our part- 
ner, "Let me see, what did I play that time?" 
(a remark ot course not really allowable), he 
probably can't tell you, and you'll know 
how little to trust to his general observation 
of the fall of the cards. 

Again the fault may occur when, the ad- 
versary having taken the trick, your partner 
thinks it not worth w^hile to notice the fall 
of your card, especially if it's the first time 
round of the suit, and it is probably all will 
follow; that appears enough for him, or if 
he knows better, namely, that he ought to 
wateh, he still does not attach sufficient im- 
portance to the absolute necessity for so do- 
ing. 

Maxim.— yj2itQh the board always, [see 
hints for beginners, and whist maxims]. 

Inferences. 

Every industrious and careful pla3^er may 
do much in the way of inference, and when 
he has mastered the principles of the game, 
he ought to give the subject his best^study. 

The following, taken from Pole's "The- 
ory of Whist," are some examples of the 
way in which inferences ma}^ be drawn 
from cards played:— 



63 



Play 



Inference. 



Lead. 



{In the player' s own 
. first lead. ) 



Any plain suit 



Kin,^. 

Ace followed by 
king. 



Ace followed by 

queen . 
Ace followed by a 

small one. 
Queen (plain suits). 

Leading a high card 
then dropping a 
lower one. 

Leads second best 
trump. 

Leads second best of 
plain suit Urumps 
being out) . 

{Ifi returning his Part- 
ner' s lead.) 

Does not lead out the 
master card. 

Any card, afterwards 
dropping a lower one. 



N. B. 14^ hen there is an 
alternative, your oivn 
hand, or the Jail of the 
other cards, ivill often 
determine it. No account 
is here taken of the sig- 
nal for trumps, which 
will some times inodify 
the ifiference to be drawn. 
Suit is the best in his hand ; 
he holds four or more of 
it; and has not five 
trumps. 

Holds also either queen or 
ace. 

Holds no others; has no 
commanding suit; has 
not five trumps, nor four 
of strength. 

Holds knave also. 

Had originally five or 

more. 
Holds also knave and ten; 

but not ace or king 
Is weak in the suit. 



H,olds best also. 
Holds best also. 



Does not hold it. 
Has no more. 



62 



when the trick has been turned and quitted, 
should you innocently remark to your part- 
ner, "lyet me see, what did I play that time?" 
(a remark of course not really allowable), he 
probably can't tell you, and you'll know 
how little to trust to his general observation 
of the fall of the cards. 

Again the fault may occur when, the ad- 
versary having taken the trick, your partner 
thinks it not worth while to notice the fall 
of your card, especially if it's the first time 
round of the suit, and it is probably all will 
follow; that appears enough for him, or if 
he knows better, namely, that he ought to 
wateh, he still does not attach sufficient im- 
portance to the absolute necessity for so do- 
ing. 

Maxim. -^Watch the board always, [see 
hints for beginners, and whist maxims]. 

Inferences. 

Every industrious and careful pla5^er may 
do much in the way of inference, and when 
he has mastered the principles of the game, 
he ought to give the subject his best study. 

The following, taken from Pole's "The- 
ory of Whist," are some examples of the 
way in which inferences may be drawn 
from cards played: — 



6^, 



Play. 



Inference, 



Lead. 



{lu the player's ozun 
. first lead. ) 



Any plain suit 



Kino:. 

Ace followed by 
king. 



Ace followed by 

queen . 
Ace followed by a 

small one. 
Queen (plain suits). 

Leading a high card 
then dropping a 
lower one. 

Leads second best 
trump. 

Leads second best of 
plain suit (.trumps 
being out) . 
{In returning his Part- 
ner' s lead) 

Does not lead out the 
master card. 

Any card, afterwards 
dropping a lower one. 



N. B. When there is an 
alternative, your oivn 
ha7td, or the Jail of the 
other cards, zvill often 
determine it. A^o account 
is here taken of the sig- 
nal for trumps, which 
will sometimes modify 
the inference to be drawn. 
Suit is the best in his hand ; 
he holds four or more of 
it; and has not five 
trumps. 

Holds also either queen or 
ace. 

Holds no others; has no 
commanding suit; has 
not five trumps, nor four 
of strength. 

Holds knave also. 

Had originally five or 

more. 
Holds also knave and ten; 

but not ace or king 
Is weak in the suit. 



Holds best also. 
Holds best also. 



Does not hold it. 
Has no more. 



64 



Play. 



Inference. 



Any card, afterwards Has more 

dropping a higher one. 
( Generally . ) 
Forces his partner 
Refrains from doing so. 

Second 
Ace (in first round of 

suit). 
King (to small one led). 



Is strong in trumps. 
Is weak in them. 



Queen (ditto) . 
Knave (ditto). 



Any smaller card. 
Trumps a doubtful trick. 

Does not trump it. 

Third 
Ace. 

Fourth 
Cannot win the trick. 

Wins it with any card. 

Second, Third, 
Any card. 

Refuses to trump a trick 
certainly against him. 

Any discard, generally. 
Discards the best of 

any suit. 
Discards the second 

best. 



Player, 
Holds ace only, or a great 

number of suit. 
Holds ace also, or no 

more. 
Holds king also, or ace 

and ten, or no more. 
Holds also queen and 

king, or queen and ace, 

or queen and one other 

only, or no more. 
Has none lower. 
Has not more than three 

trumps. 
Has more than three. 

Player. 

Holds neither king nor 
queen . 

Player. 

Has no card higher than 

the one against him. 
Has no card between this 

and the one against him. 
or Fourth Player. 
Has not the one next 

below it. 
Probably is strong in 

trumps, and wants them 

led. 
Is weak in that suit. 
Has the next best and the 

full command. 
Has no more. 



65 



Play. Inference. 



Plays unnecessarily a Signal for trumps. 

higher card before a 

lower. 

The player wanting a good list of inferences 
should consult "American Whist," by G. W. P. 



Strengthening Play. 

Strengthening play is the playing out 
high cards of your partner's long suit— even 
though you may not make tricks b}- them — 
so that their withdrawal shall strengthen 
your partner's hand; thereby benefitting 
him, and thus your combined forces. 

When a high card is played its with- 
drawal raises in value all the lower cards of 
that suit remaining unplayed; what was 
therefore third best becomes second, and so 
on. This is the chief reason for the rule, 
"third hand play high;" for as third hand, 
playing the highest you hold (of your part- 
ner's long suit led), you not only do your 
best to get the trick; but, if you lose it, you 
strengthen your partner's hand by getting 
high cards out of his way. 

Strengthening play then is the use of high 
cards regularly, or irregularl3^ to assist in 
exhausting your opponent's strength; and 
so aid your partner in establishing his suit; 



66 



or to generally strengthen your partner's 
hand. 

Some instances of strengthening play are: 
Strong in trumps, but leading up to an 
honour. Not finessing your partner's long 
suit (except with ace, queen, fiirst time 
round, when, if you get rid of the ace 
shortly after, it may sometimes be done), 
and if short in it, returning your highest. 

Note. — Strengthening Play is most bene- 
ficial to the hand that is the longest in the 
suit. 

Discards. 

A discard is the card 3^ou throw away, 
when you have none of the suit led, and 
do not trump it. 

A proper discard is often the hardest 
thing in whist play. Your original discard 
furnishes an important means of conveying 
information to 3^our partner as to 3^0 ur 
hand. For example: suppose hearts are 
trumps, and that one of the adversaries has 
shown strength in some suit, say spades; 
you lead a winning club, to which your 
partner discards a diamond; now^ spades 
are against 3^ou, and 3^our partner is weak 
in diamonds, and it is therefore almost 
certain (if ever3^body plays properly) that 



67 



5^our partner's long suit is trumps, and 3^ou 
may play accordingly. 

General Rule. — Your first discard should 
be from a short or weak suit; but, if trumps 
are declared against you {i. e. if the adver- 
sary first lead, or first call for, trumps) you 
should discard from your best protected suit. 

Discarding the highest of a suit of which 
5"0U have complete command is correct con- 
ventional pla}^ to inform your partner. 

In discarding do not unnecessaril3^ un- 
guard good cards, particularly in your ad- 
versaries' suit; however many good players 
consider the general rule so essential that 
they will even unguard a king, or queen, or 
blank an ace, for the sake of adhering to it. 

It is w^ell to keep a card of your partner's 
first lead, if possible, so as to be able to re- 
turn it when trumps are out. Remember 
this in discarding. 

Discarding generally is an indication of 
weakness in the suit discarded. Discarding 
the highest of a suit indicates you have full 
command of that suit. 

Finessing. 

A finesse is the chancing of an inferior 
card — by playing it, or passing it already 
played by your partner — to win or force a 



68 



trick, when 3^ou hold the best card or better 
in your hand, [see glossary]. 

To know how to finesse properl^^ requires 
great judgment and experience. The 
iinesse is perhaps the hardest play at whist, 
and like the discard, often gives scope for 
some fine or skilled play. 

General Rules for Finessing. 

I. The finesse proper. — Third hand only 
finesses to partner's original lead — z'. e. in 
holding ace, queen, if successful a trick is 
gained, but [see errors 38. 39] — otherwise it 
is wrong in principle to finesse in your part- 
ner's long suit, as he v\^ants the high cards 
out of his way; but if you see he leads from 
weakness, or if he leads 3'ou strengthening 
cards in your own long suit, you may finesse 
more freely. 

Exceptions. — {a) With a partner who you 
are sure does not lead from his long suit, 
this rule does not apply, and you may 
finesse to more advantage — thus with king, 
knave, and a small one, the knave will be a 
good card to plaj^ third hand. {!)) When 
trumps are all against 3^ou, finesse deeph^ 
and lead 3^our cards of weakest suits for 
your partner to finesse, {c) When 3^our 
partner leads a knave, and 3^ou hold the 
king, you msLy finesse or pass the knave— 



69 



i. e. play a small card to it — under the hope 
that it, the knave, may force the ace. 
Man}^ authorities do not allow this excep- 
tion to be good pla}^; but if strong in 
trumps, as mentioned in rule five, it is 
surely a proper play. 

2. Be careful how you finesse the 
second time round of a suit. The chances 
are, unless the suits seem evenl^^ divided, 
that the suit will be trumped the third time 
round. If however you are strong in 
trumps, you may finesse more freely, as 
5"0ur trumps ma^^ enable you to bring your 
high cards in. 

Exception. — With minor tenace (holding 
second and fourth best of suit) it is generally 
proper to finesse the second round, as the 
best card must probably be to your left; and 
if the third best is there also, both your 
cards must be lost in any case. 

Note. — One object of returning highest of 
your partner's suit, if weak, is, it gives him 
a good opportunity of finessing. Of course 
the primary reason is to get rid of the com- 
mand of your partner's suit, and so 
strengthen his hand. 

3. Do not finesse if you know that the 
intermediate card, against which you 
finesse, does not lie to your right. This 



70 

may often have been shown by the previous 
play; in such case the intermediate card 
must be either with your partner, or your 
left hand adversary; in either case finessing 
is useless. 

4. Late in the hand finessing is to be 
determined by the fall of the cards, or state 
of the score. Thus when you particularly 
want only one trick (as to make or save the 
game) do not finCvSse in order to have the 
chance of gaining two. In this case play to 
the score. 

5. You can finesse much more freely in 
plain suits when strong in trumps than 
when weak in them. However, when weak 
in trumps, 3^ou may finesse deeply in the 
suit in which you believe your partner to be 
weak, in order as long as you can to protect 
him from a force; for his is the strong 
trump hand on your side, and the greatest 
harm a strong trump hand can suffer is to 
be forced to ruff. 

6. You may finesse in trumps much 
more deeply than in plain suits; for your 
master cards in trumps must absolutely 
make. Thus, when trumps are either re- 
turned by your partner, or led by your ad- 
versary, it is good to finesse deeply in them, 
especially in the latter case as you are keep- 



71 

ing the command of your adversaries' suit 
as long as you can in your own hand, in- 
stance, holding ace, knave of trumps, with 
honour turned up on your right, finesse 
knave. But do not finesse in your partner's 
original trump lead, [see error 21]. 

Underplay. 

Underplay usually signifies keeping back 
best cards, and playing subordinate ones 
instead, as by keeping up the winning card 
in the second round of a suit by leading a 
low card through holding the best. 

Underplay is sometimes advantageous in 
trumps; or in plain suits v/hen strong in 
trumps, or when trumps are out; but it re- 
quires care and judgment to avoid evil con- 
sequences from deceiving your partner, and 
from having your b^st cards subsequently 
ruffed. 

Refusing to play the winning card in the 
first and second round of a suit, commonly 
called "holding up," is really a species of 
underplay. 

Conventional Plays — Exceptions to General 
Rules. 

I. Rule. — Lead lowest of a suit. 
Exceptions. — {a) I^eading from ace and 



four or more small ones, lead ace, lest it be 
trumped second round, (b) With a strong- 
(high) sequence, lead one of the sequence to 
prevent the adversaries from winning the 
first trick with a very small card. Of se- 
quences, lead the highest, except (i) with 
king, knave, ten, nine and a small one, 
when lead nine, to draw out ace and 
queen and leave 3^ou with the entire com- 
mand; and (2) with king, knave, ten and 
another, lead ten with the same object, {c) 
l^eading from weakness (short suit), lead 
high to inform^your partner. This applies if 
by means of a discard (as may be the case 
when, trumps having been declared against 
you, and you discard from your best pro- 
tected suit) you have reduced a suit which 
originally had four cards to one of three; it 
must then be regarded as a weak suit; and 
if you lead it, act accordingly — i. e. lead your 
highest to inform your partner it is now a 
weak suit with you. (d) Returning part- 
ner's lead, lead highest (if you are short in 
the suit) to strengthen your partner's hand. 
(e) From any suit of more than four cards, 
lead the penultimate card, or fourth best. 

Note. — If trumps are out before you open 
your suit, lead so as to keep back 3^our high 
cards. 



73 

2. Rule. — Lead highest of a sequence. 
Adhering systematically to the rule has 

the advantage of conveying information to 
your partner. The main object is to pre- 
vent your partner putting on the next 
highest if he has it; but you may know he 
cannot — hence exception {a), a conventional 
pla}^ to give information; or you may desire 
him to put it on — hence exception {b). 

Exceptions. — (a) With ace, king, lead 
king — except with ace, king, and no others, 
when lead ace then king [see inferences]. 
(b) With king, queen, knave, ten, lead 
lowest of sequence to induce your partner to 
put on ace if he has it, and leave you the 
command. This applies in the case of any 
subordinate or under sequence, [see notes 
on trumps]. 

Note. — The system of American leads has 
altered this to a lead of king from a suit 
of four only, of knave from a suit of five or 
more. 

3. Rule. — Second hand play low. 

Exceptions. — (a) Holding a high se- 
quence, as ace king, or king queen, or ace 
queen knave, or ace queen ten, or holding 
other high cards in sequence — i. e. a moder- 
ate sequence — or holding a short suit; put' 
on the lowest of the cards named, or of se- 



74 



quence, or of short suit, to help your partner 
in case the third hand is weak, {b) In 
second round of a suit, win the trick second 
hand if you hold the best card — this to in- 
sure making it without risk of its being 
trumped. 

4. Rule. — Third hand play highest. 

Exceptions. — {a) Play lowest of a head 
sequence; the object of this conventional 
pla}^ is to inform your partner. (6) You 
may finesse to j^our partner's original lead 
only, if you have ace, queen, [see finesse]. 

Study Your Partner. 

You may sometimes deflect from strict 
systematic play to advantage, when 3^our 
partner does not understand, or play, the 
scientific game What would he very bad 
play, if 3^ou had a good partner, may be 
perfectly good when yovi have a bad one. 

Maxim. — Study your partner's style of 
play; of course you also study your part- 
ner's hand, as divulged by the cards he 
plays. 

Trump Notes. 

Much information as to the management 
of trumps will have been gained by studying 
the errors relating to their lead and play. 



75 

The following additional notes should be 
found useful: — 

Trumps — when to lead, [see error 12]. — In 
general play: strong in trumps, play your 
own game; weaV in trumps, pla^^ your part- 
ner's game. 

1. Always lead trumps from six or 
more; or from five, with one good plain 
suit. 

2. Lead trumps from four when your 
own or your partner's suit is established, 
and you have a sure card of re-entry. 

3. Lead trumps to stop a cross ruff. 

4. With three inferior three-card plain 
suits and four trumps, lead a trump, [see 
playing to score.] 

With commanding (head) sequence in 
trumps, lead lowest first, then next low- 
est, to inform your partner — this is an ex- 
ception to lead highest of a sequence. 

If your partner call for trumps and you 
are weak (three or less), lead your highest, 
otherwise play a more backward game in 
trumps than in plain suits — i. e. generally 
lead lowest to give your partner a chance of 
making the first trick— head, or leading, 
cards will always make. 

Finesse more freely than in plain suits 
when trumps are returned by your partner, 



76 



or led by your adversary; you should finesse 
deeply, but do not finesse in your partner's 
original lead in trumps. 

From a long suit of trumps, unless you 
have three honours, you should lead the 
lowest or fourth best. This fourth best 
lead (indicating your strength) is most im- 
portant in the case of trumps. 

As to signaling (calling) for trumps, you 
should not do so unless you hold four with 
two honours; or five with one honour, to- 
gether with good plain cards in your own 
or partner's hand. The simple rule — * 'Al- 
ways lead or ask for trumps when you hold 
five" — is however safe enough for learners. 

With four trumps, echo your partner's 
trump signal. 

Do not guess at a trump signal; it is 
better to let a signal go by, than to make the 
errroneous play, if one were not given, or 
intended. 

Weak in trumps, trump a doubtful trick; 
strong in trumps, do not. 

On a thirteenth card of a plain suit being 
led by your partner, or one of a suit in 
which he knows both you and the fourth 
player renounce, always put on your best 
trump, unless you know your partner is 
weak in trumps, and does not wish to force 



you, but wants to force the adversary, or 
wants you to pass in order that the fourth 
player ma}^ obtain the lead, and lead up to 
your hand. 

Overtrumping. — This is generally safe if 
the left hand adversary is strong in trumps, 
and it should be always done if 3^our part- 
ner wishes that trumps should be played. If 
after the successful overtrump, a trump can 
be led, the result is usually advantageous; 
however the natural disposition to over- 
trump, if not curbed, would frequently re- 
sult in loss. 

If your partner refuses to trump a win- 
ning card, lead him, if you can, a strength- 
ening {i. e. high) trump, as he is probably 
strong in trumps, and would require such a 
lead from you. 

Playing to Score, 

Always pay attention to the score, for it 
should often influence your play: for in- 
stance — if you particularly require one trick 
(as in a forward game), you should not risk 
it (by finessing, for instance) in order to 
have the chance of making two. In a 
backward game it may sometimes be wise to 
risk one trick in order to try and secure 
two. 



78 



The following is an exceptional trump lead: 
Your adversaries only want one point to 
make the game, and you. with the lead, 
have a bad hand; the best play is for you to 
lead out your best trump; for if your part- 
ner has not a very good hand, the game is 
lost; and, if he has, that is the very best 
thing to do. 

Attention to the score refers not only to 
the progress, but to the prospects, of the 
game; so notice should be taken of the 
tricks made, and to be made, (and honours 
held) in the current hand. 

Some Correct Plays. 

1. If your partner refuses to trump a 
suit of which he knows you have not the 
best, lead him your best trump as soon as 
you can. 

2. If your partner has trumped a suit, and 
refuses to play trumps, lead him that suit 
again. 

3. It is sometimes proper to lead a 
thirteenth card, in order to force the adver- 
sary, and give your partner a chance of 
making a trick as last player. 

4. With the lead, and three small 
trumps and the ace, it is sometimes judicious 
to allow your adversaries to make two 



79 

tricks in trumps with king and queen, and 
on the third round play your ace. 

5- Towards the end of the hand it may 
often win you an extra trick to avoid lead- 
ing from a tenace or "guarded second," and 
to try and induce your left hand adversary 
to lead that suit to you. Sometimes when 
fourth hand, it is not advisable to win the 
trick, as — when you can thus force your left 
hand adversary to lead up to your tenace or 
guarded second. 

Coups. 

Coup — A French w^ord anglicised, which 
means '*a stroke that gains advantage; a 
brilliant play." 

The following are some of the coups 
which are often played to advantage by 
skilled players: — 

Leading from weakest suit; as — when the 
game is desperate, and your partner may be 
strong in your weak suit, he will finesse 
deeply in it, not returning the suit, but 
leading his weakest suit, which you will 
treat in like manner. 

Treating long suits like short ones, and vice 
versa, as — when toward the end of the 
hand, your long suit can only go round 
twice, then lead highest. 



8o 



Desehapelle Coup. — This is the playing of 
king at the head of many to force the ace, 
in order that your partner may afterward 
make his queen ^that is, the lead of a high 
card at the head of many, to be lost to the 
adversary that the play may be forced up to 
the leader's partner. 

Refusing to win the second round of a suit: 
this is done when the suit led is a long one 
declared in favour of the adversary, and the 
player, numerically strong in it, has no card 
of re-entry in any other suit; then, the suit, 
second round, should not be trumped, for 
the adversary can never bring in this long 
suit, he having no card of re-entry, and his 
partner's hand being exhausted, he cannot 
lead it again. 

Declining to draw the losing trumps — i. e. 
the smaller of the last two trumps left in. 
This is played if one adversary has a long 
suit established, and his partner has a card 
of that suit to lead. 

Refusing to Overtrump. — It is never right 
to overtrump when three trumps remain in 
each hand, and one player holds the second 
and third best trumps, with one of which he 
trumps the card led. 

Coup de Sacrifice — throwing high cards to 
place the lead — i. e. the giving of a 



master card vSure to make a trick to the 
adversary. 

Grand Coup. — The throwing away of a 
superfluous trump, as to gain a trick upon 
the forced play of right hand adversary; or, 
the overtrumping of a trick whether 
trumped by partner or adversary for the 
purpose of throwing the lead. 



Duplicate Whist. 



. Duplicate Whist [see glossary] is played 
with a number of packs dealt out into hands 
of thirteen cards, a trump being generally 
chosen for the evening. By the use of 
boards, or trays, for holding the different 
hands as originally dealt, after playing a 
number of these packs, they are all played 
through again. In single table or "mne- 
monic duplicate," the hands are overplayed 
at the same table, the one side holding the 
cards held by their opponents in the former 
play, so that by keeping a score of 
each, it can be seen which side makes the 
most tricks of each hand or pack played. 

The chief interest and supposed advan- 
tages of this game are: (i) to compare the 
success and skill of the rival players; and (2) 
to insure each side having equally good 
luck(?) in cards held during the evening. 

The disadvantages of the game are: (i) It is 
more tiring to the mind, as the absence of 
any rest during a deal, or the gathering of 
tricks, makes the game much quickly than 



S3 



straight whist. (2) When duplicated at the 
same sitting (as is of necessity generally 
done) players are apt to remember the 
hands as pla^^ed before, and sometimes base 
their pla}^ on such memory, instead of play- 
ing the hand anew, simply according to the 
rules of good pla}^; and (3) it precludes all 
discussion at the end of each hand — as 
played — as to the play of the cards; which is 
often of advantage even for the best players, 
especially when a hand has given scope 
tor any skilled play, or when one wishes to 
get an insight into the style of play of a 
a stranger partner. 

The writer does not advocate such dupli- 
cate whist for young players, nor favour it 
himself. 

The more common practice, however, is 
for each deal to be overplayed at one or 
more other tables, so that the original oppo- 
nents (who move as in drive whist) play 
the adverse hands against fresh adversaries; 
the advantage gained is that each set of 
players hold during the play exactly the 
same set of hands, as one another, conse- 
quently have equal luck in holding cards, 
and a score can be kept of points each make 
of the several hands. The disadvantages 
above mentioned seem to apply. 



84 



The count of the tricks at duplicate whist 
is sometimes kept by means of poker chips, 
sometimes by placing the cards of winning 
tricks on the table in a different position to 
those of the losing tricks. The cards as 
played should be placed toward the center 
of the table that they ma}^ be easily seen, 
not on the edge of it. 

The score is kept on paper; several kinds 
of score sheets being given in whist books- 
some of a single, some of a double entry 
form. 



Rhyming Rules, 

Mnemonic Maxims, and Pocket Precepts.^ 



If 3'ou the modern game of Whist would know, 
From this great principle its precepts flow: 
That your own hand as to your partner's joined, 
And play, not one alone, but doik comdined. 

Your first lead makes your partner understand 
What is the chief component of your hand; 
And hence there is necessity the strongest 
T\\'A.\.your first lead be from your suit that's longest. 

In this, with ace and king, lead king, then ace; 
With king and queen, king also has hrst place; 
With ace, queen, knave, lead ace and then the qtieen; 
With ace, four small ones, ace should first be seen; 
With queen, knave, ten, you let the queen precede; 
In other cases, you the lowest lead. 

Ere you return your friend's, your own suit play; 
But trumps you must return zvithout delay. 

When you return your partner's lead, take pains 
To lead him back the best your hand contains, 
If you received not more than three at first; 
If you had more, you may return the worst. 



^ The rules embodied in these versicles were 
first published in prose (printed on a card, en- 
titled "Pocket Precepts") by Wm. Pole, F. R. S., 
in March, 1894. The idea of the rhyming form 
(also by Pole) was taken from an old French 
composition of the same kind. 



86 



Hill if you. liold the master card, you're hound 
III most c.-iscs lo play it secotid round. 
Whene'er you want a lead, 'tis seldom wron^- 
To lead up to the ivcak, i)V throui^h the str(y?i.(>-: 

l( sccniul liniid, your A-Tcv.v/ should he phtycd, 
Unless you mean 'trumj) sij^iial' to be madi'; 
Or if you've Anni^ and queen, or ace and /cint^, 
Then one of these will Ix^ tlu^ proper lhin<:;. 

Mind well the rnles lor triDups, you'll often need 
tlifin: 

WllICN YOU llol.l) I'lVl':, 'lis ALWAYS KKilir TO 

LKAO riiioivi; 
Or if the lead won't come in time to you, 
Then sij^nalto your partner so to do. 

Watch also for your i)Mrtn('r's trump itcincst, 
To whieh, 7aith less than four, play out yowx best. 

To leatl throui;li honours turned up is bad play, 
Unless you want tlu; trump suit cleared away. 

When, second hand, a doubtful trick you see, 
Don't trump it if you hold more trumps than three\ 
Rut havinj;- three or K-ss, trump feark^ssly. 

When weak in trumps yourself, don't forcH- your 

friend; 
Hut always force the adverse strong trump liand. 

For sequeiices, stetu custom has decreed 
The lo2vest you nuist play if you don't lead. 

When you discard, weak suits you ought to choose, 
For stront>- ones are too valuable to lose. 



Glossary 
of Whist Terms. 



Ace. — Highest card in play, lowest in cutting. 

Adverse Lead. — The lead of a suit of which 
your opponents hold the command. 

American Lkads. — The conventional lead of one 
of the five high cards, or the fourth best. The 
following are the three maxims laid down by 
American Leads: (i) When you open your 
suit with a low card, lead your fourth best. 
(2) On quiting the head of your suit, lead your 
original /6'?^r/^ best. (3) With two high indif- 
ferent cards, lead the higher if you opened 
with a. suit of y<9/^r,- the lower if you opened 
with a. suit,()f j^z^^. 

American Whist. The term is used to com- 
prise American Leads and the New Play — 
seven points to the game— honours are not 
counted in this game; rubbers infrequently 
played, only games. 

Asking for Trumps. — [See Signal for Trumps]. 

Backward Game.— Not playing so as to get 
tricks yourself at once, but giving your part- 
ner a chance of winning the first trick of a suit; 
as, being strong in trumps, leading a small 
card instead of a high one. Always play a 
more backward game in trumps [see Forward 
Game], and in plain suits when trumps are out. 

Blank an Ace. — i. e. to leave it unprotected by 
any other card of the same suit in your hand 

Blocking. — Obstructing or stopping your part- 
ner's (or adversaries') long suits. 

Blue Pp:ter. — A name sometimes given to the 
signal for trumps [which see]. 

Book. — The six first tricks made by either side 
when put together are called a "book". 



88 



Bringing in (the long- cards of a suit). — When 
your suit is once established [which see], if 
your adversaries' trumps are out, and you can 
get the lead, it is obvious you can make a 
trick with every card of it you hold; this is 
called bring it in. The establishment and 
bringing in of long suits form the great dis- 
tinguishing features of the modern scientihc 
game. 

BuMBLEPUPPY. — A manner of playing whist, 
either in ignorance of all known rules, or in 
defiance of them, or both. 

Bumper. — A rubber of full points: two games won 
in succession, before adversaries' have won one, 
or scored any points. 

Call (or Called Card). — [See Exposed Card], 

Call for Trumps. — The play of a card not so 
low as could have been properly played fol- 
lowed by the play of one lower [See Signal 
for Trumps, and Echo to the Call]. 

Card of Re-entry. — [See Re-entry]. 

Card of Uniformity. — A name sometimes given 
to the fourth best card in American Whist. 

Cards Lying Over a Player. — Higher cards 
in the hand of one's left hand adversary. 

Command. — You are said to have the command 
of a suit when you hold the best cards in it. 

Commanding Cards. — Same as master cards: 
cards that will make tricks. 

Commanding Sequence. — A sequence headed 
with the best card of the suit, sometimes 
wrongly used for head sequence [which see]. 

Complete Command. — Is when you have suffi- 
cient, of the best cards in a suit to be able to 
draw all those in the other hands — instance, 
with ace, king, queen, and two others (gener- 
ally), otherwise the command may be only 
partial or temporary. 

Conventional Signals. — Certain modes of play 
designed purposely, by common consent, for 



89 



the object of coiiveyiiit:^ information to your 
partner. The principle was sanctioned by Hoyle, 
and several of these signals are established and 
legalised by usage in the modern scientific game. 
Examples: Signal for trumps; return of highest 
from a short suit; playing lowest of a sequence; 
discarding highest of a suit of which you have 
the complete command. 

Coup. — A French word anglicised, which means, 
"a stroke that gains advantage, a brilliant 
play." [See notes on Coups.] 

Court Cards. — The ace, king, queen, and knave 
of each suit. 

Cover. — To play a card higher than the one led 
or played. 

Cross Ruff.— Is where each of two partners 
trump a different suit, so that they may lead 
alternately into each others hands [See See- 
saw]. 

Cutting. — Dividing the pack, not leaving fewer 
than t'our cards in either packet. This is done 
by the player on the dealer's right, the dealer 
then places the opponent's portion beneath the 
rest. The cut is not voluntary, "as of right," 
but is made on invitation of the dealer. 

Cutting In.— Deciding player, partners, and the 
deal, by each player taking up not fewer than 
four cards, the bottom card in each case being 
the card cut. The four who cut the lowest 
cards play first, (the players to form a table 
are decided in the same way), and again cut for 
partners; the two lowest play against the two 
highest; the lowest is the dealer and has the 
choice of cards and seats. Two packs should 
be played with, one pack belonging to either 
side. Ace is the lowest card in cutting. 
Players cutting equal intermediate cards, cut 
again. 

Cutting Out. — Deciding by cut, as in ciittiftg in, 
the outgoers from the play, or table, at the end 



90 



of a rubber or more generally of the "double 
rub")— the highest stand out. 

Deal. — The equal distribution of the cards (al- 
ready cut and shuffled^ singly, face downward, 
from left to right, among the four players, — 
commencing with player on dealer's left, — at 
the end of the deal, the trump card is placed, 
face upward on the table, on right hand side 
of the dealer. [See Misdeal]. 

Deck. — Same as Pack. 

Discard. — The card you throw away when you 
have none of the suit led, and do not trump 
it. The discard as a rule is an indication of 
weakness in the suit discarded from, for you 
should generally discard from your shortest suit; 
but if trumps are declared against you, discard 
from your best protected suit. [See notes on 
Discard]. 

Double Dummy. — Played by two players, each 
having a dummy, or exposed hand, for his part- 
ner. 

Double Echo. — An extension of the echo, to 
show more than four trumps. It is made by 
echoing twice after partner's signal or lead of 
trumps. 

Double Game — Is made (at short whist) when 
one side obtains five points, the adversary hav- 
ing scored less than three {i. e. one or two 
points only). The score for it is two points. 

Double Rub. — Two rubbers played in succes- 
sion. 

Drive Whist. — A "society" game of whist, in 
which the winners at each table drive the 
losers to another table at the end of each 
game. 

Dummy Whist. — Played by three players. One 
hand, called "Dummy's," lies exposed on the 
table opposite his partner. 

Duplicate Whist — A game of whist, in which 
each hand (whole pack played) is overplayed 



91 



at one or more tables, each side of opponents 
exchano;iiig the cords for the dupHcate play of 
them, whether against the same, or some fre?h 
adversaries. [See notes on Dnplicate Whist]. 

Echo (to the call). — Same as Call or Signal for 
Trumps, by which a partner notices the call or 
signal. It sio:nifies that he is also stron.^ in 
trumps. Advantages of the echo aie: to save 
leading an unnecessary round of trumps, and 
that you or your partner need not hold bark 
from trumping a doubtful trick The echo 
should be given when you hold four or more 
trumps. 

Eleventh Card. — The master card of three m 
in play, ten of the suit having been played . 

Elder Hand. — The player to the left of the 
dealer. 

Equivocal Card. — The nine, as it comes from 
both strong and weak suits. 

Establish — A suit is said to be established 
when you hold the complete command of it. 
This may sometimes happen to be the case 
originally (by the deal), but it is more common 
to obtain it in the course of play by "clearing" 
away the cards that obstructed you, so as to 
remain with the best in your hand. It is 
highly desirable to establish your long suit as 
soon as you can, for which purpose not only 
your adversaries' hands, but also your partner's 
hand, must be cleared from obstructing cards. 
[See also Brmging in]. 

Exposed Card. — A card improperly shown in 
process of dealing (which calls for a fresh deal ), 
or of play — as two cards played at once. An 
exposed card must be left on the table, face 
upward, and is liable to be called by the ad- 
versary. It is sometimes called "faced card." 

Face Cards. — The three picture cards— king, 
queen and knave. 

Faced Card.— [See Exposed Card]. 



92 

r^ALL. — The play of the cards. Cards that have 
been played, are "out." 

False Card. — Is a card played contrary to estab- 
lished rnles or conventions of the j^ame, and 
which therefore is calculated to deceive your 
partner as to the stale of your hand— instances; 
following suit with the highest or middle card 
of a sequence; throwing away other than your 
lowest card. Never wittingly, witlwut ^cod 
reason, play a false card. Always "play the 
game." 

Fancv Whist.— Any form of play that intro- 
duces unauthorized methods. 

FiNEssK. — "The chancing an inferior card to 
win or force a trick when you hold the best 
card, or better one, in your hand." Finessing 
is an attempt, generally by a third player, to 
make a lower card answer the purpose of a 
higher (which it is usually his duty to play) 
under the hope that no intermediate card may 
lie to his left hand. Thus having ace and 
queen of your partner's lead, you finesse the 
queen, playing it (hopnig the fourth player may 
n(jt hold tile king;) or, if your partner leads a 
knave, and you hold the king, you may finesse, 
or pass, the knave {i. e. play a small card to it 
under the hope that it, the knave, may force 
the ace). From these examples it is evident that 
sometimes hnessing is playing an inferior card, 
and sometimes the finessing is /!>a^.s7V/^'- an inferior 
card j)layed by your partner. The word is 
sometimes applied to cases where it is certaifi 
the inferior card will answer the purpose in- 
tended, as when the left hand has already 
shown weakness; but this is a misuse of the 
term, for unless there is a risk of the card being 
beaten, it is only ordinay play and can involve 
no finessing — properly so called. You are said to 
finesse against tbe mtermediate card, and some- 
times also against the person who holds it; but 
as by the nature of ihe case, it should be un- 
known where the card lies; the latter meaning 



93 



is apt to create confusion. The person against 
whom you really act (finesse) is more correctly 
your left hand adversary. A trick is gained if a 
finesse is successful A finesse may sometimes 
conceal your strength. [See notes on Finesse]. 

Follow, — (i) The play of second, third or fourth 
player; also (2) a player's second lead from the 
same suit. 

Forced (or Unnatural) Lead, — A lead from a 
short suit (three or less cards). This may be 
"an original lead," but it is seldom so, and it is 
better not to apply the term forced lead to an 
original lead. The rule in case you have to 
make a forced lead is to lead out your highest 
to inform your partner you are weak in the suit. 
Exceptioti — With an honour and two small ones, 
you may lead smallest to try and save honour 
in case of strength lying against you. 

Forced Play. — Unnatural play, — the lead or 
fall of the cards, compelling you to play in an 
unusual manner. 

Forcing. — Obliging your partner or your adver- 
sary to trump a trick, by leading a suit of 
which they have none. 

Forward Game- — Opposite of backward game 
[which see]. Playing to make tricks at once, 
neither finessing, nor relying on your partner. 

F'ouRCHETTE. — A fork, i. e. the card higher and 
the card lower. 

Fourth Best. — The fourth card held of any suit, 
counting from the highest. 

Fourth Hand. — The last player upon a trick. 

Fresh Deal (or New Deal). — This is rendered 
necessary in the case of a misdeal, either by 
violation of the laws, (when, as a penalty, the 
deal passes on to the adversary/ or by acci- 
dent, to the card or players, 'in which case the 
penalty should not be exacted). 

Came. — In short whist, the game consists of five 
points; in long whist, often points; in American 



94 



whist, — lonj( whist bcinj^- first altered, in 1.^57, to 
a ^ame, — of Seven points, honours not scoring. 
Each trick above six counts one point. 

GATHKRiCn — Every trick must be i^athcred and 
turned before tlie ])lay of the f<)lb)wing round 
is completed. 

CrirrriNc; Rid of thk Command— Playinjj^ out 
the best, or leadinj:? cards, of a suit. This sliould 
be done in vour partner's suit so as to 
strenj^then his hand. [vSee notes on Strength- 
euinjj^ Play]. 

(fDAKDiui Si'X'ond or Sccoiid llrst Cuardcd — Is 
the combination of the second best card for the 
tinie-l)ein^, with a snudl one to guard it against 
being taken l)y the best . /i\i7/7///> /<'■.?, — King and 
a small one originally; or, knave and a small 
one when ace and cjueen have been played. 
The cond)ination is an important one, having 
an advantage analogous to that of the tcnace: 
namclv, that if the suit is led by your left hand 
adversary, you are certain (bar trumping) to 
make your second best card. 

Hand — The thirteen cards dealt to each player; 
also sometimes used to mean "the whole pack 
played." 

ITiCAD Srquicncr. — Is a secpience of three or 
more standing at the head ol a suit in your 
hand, even though it may not contain the best 
card; sometimes wrongly called "commanding 
sequence, " 

High CarDvS.— The ace to ten, or nine, inclusive, 

IIoN(^iTRS —The four court cards of the trump 
suit; ace, king, queen and knave. The term is 
often applied to the same cards in plain .suits. 
The ten and nine are .sonietimes called "semi- 
honours " When "■honours^'' are counted, the 
side holding four, scores four; the holders of 
three, scores two, toward the game after the 
tricks in the hand have been scored. Honours 
must be called (claimed) at the end of the hand. 



95 

before the trump card of the following deal is 
turned up — they may then be sc'.red at any 
time during the game. [See Long Whist, and 
Short Whist 1. 

Half Honours. --The game of short whist is fre- 
quently played with half honours, i. e. half the 
above score only is counted for them, namely, 
two instead of four points for four honours, and 
one instead of two points for three honours. 

Holding Up. — Refusing to play the winning card 
in the first and second round of a suit: keeping 
back, not playing, a certain suit, or card, or 
cambination of cards, as a tenace. [See Error 
21, and Underplay]. 

Honours Dividkd, or Easy or Even. — Each 
side holding two honours, no points are added 
to the game on either side for them. 

In, — The cards that have not "fallen" or "been 
played" are said to be "in," or "in play;" — op- 
posite to "out." 

Indifferent Cards. — A misnomer for cards in 
sequence; also for cards not in sequence if the 
cards intermediate in value have been played. Of 
course, really no card is indifferent in its re- 
lation to another, or to the hand rather, on ac- 
count of the information each may give on its 
being played or discarded . 

In Hand. — Any card, or cards, not played are 
said to be "in hand." 

Intermediate Sequence. — A sequence of three 
or more cards, neither at the head or foot of a 
suit in your hand. 

Jack. — The knave of any suit. 

Keep Up. — Same as Holding Up. 

King Card. — Same as master card, or best card; 
a term sometimes used for the highest unplayed 
card in any suit — the leading or winning card. 

IvEad. — The lead is the card, or suit, led by the 
first player (the original lead); or, by the win- 
ner of the last trick, i. e. led by the first player 



96 



in any round; also the play of such card. The 
term is also used to mean "the right or privi- 
lege" of leading, as in the question, "Whose 
lead is it?" 

Leader. — The first one to play in any round; 
the "first hand," or "eldest hand." 

A Leading Through, and Up To.— The person 
who leads is said to lead through his left hand 
adversary, and up to his right hand one, such 
being the direction in which the play runs. 
Leading through generally means leading the 
card of a Suit in which the left hand adversary 
is strong. 

Leading Up To. — Leading a card of a suit in 
which a high card is held by the right hand 
adversary . 

LEGawzed Correspondence. — [See Conven- 
tional Signals]. 

Long Whist. — Ten points make the game. Hon- 
ours do not score if the side holding them 
stood at nine points. With eight points at the 
commencement of the hand, honours must be 
shown before the first trick is turned, or they 
cannot be claimed — this is accomplished thus: 
the player holding two honours in his hand, 
when it is first his turn to play, has the 
privilege of the call, asking his partner, "Can 
you one?" or "Have you an honour?" when 
honours may be shown, and the points at onee 
scored. So in long whist; at six or seven points, 
tricks count before honours; at eight points 
honours count before tricks. The game of 
long whist has generally given way to .short 
whist and to the American game of seven points. 

Long Cards. — The last cards held of any suit. 

The cards remaining in one hand when all the 

rest of that suit have been played . 

Long Suit. — A suit of four or more cards in a 

hand. A long suit naturally has a greater 

chance of containing high cards than a short 



97 



one, hence strong suit [which see]; is sometimes 
used for long suit to mean a suit of which 
you possess a large number of cards — some- 
times it is used only to mean a suit in which you 
hold a very few high ones. [See also \]/eak Suit^. 

Long Trumps.— The last trump cards in hand, 
one or more, when the rest are all played. 

Loose Card. — Means a card in hand of no value, 
and consequently the httest to throw away. A 
discard should not be so called. 

Losing Card.— One unlikely to make a trick. 

Love. — No points to the score; nothing — "to play 
for love" is to play without stakes. 

Low Cards. — Deuce to eight inclusive. 

Make. — To make a card means simply to win a 
trick with it. To make the cards is a term used 
for shuffling. [Which see]. 

Marking the Game. — Making the score apparent 
with scoring cards, or coins. 

Master Card, or Best Card. — Means the highest 
card of a suit in at the time: thus if ace and king 
were out, the master card would be the queen; 
called also "king card," or "best card." 

Misdeal. — Is when the cards being a complete 
pack are incorrectly dealt, as when the trump 
does not come in its regular order to the dealer. 
[See Fresh Deal]. 

New Play. —An extension of system to designate 
numerical force by the original lead and to 
specify of what that force consist. It deals 
with sequences only, and regulates their play. 

Opening.— A term borrowed from chess to denote 
the system on which you commence or open your 
game, when you get your first lead — also the 
first lead in each hand of each player — fre- 
quently used rather indefinitely in either of the 
above meanings 

Original Lead. — (,i) The first lead in the hand 
made by the person on left of the dealer; or (2) 



-98 



the first lead of any one player; or (3) the first 
lead from any suit. The first meaning is the 
correct use of the term. 

Pack. — A complete set of fifty-two cards, same as 
Deck. 

Pass. — Refusing to take (or head) a trick, having 
the power (and right) to do so. 

Penultimate. — The lowest card but one of a suit, 
superseded by "fourth best" as a lead. 

Plain Suits. — The three suits not trumps. 

Play. — The act of taking a card from your hand 
and placing it on the table. 

Playing to Score. — See Score, and see note on 
Playing to Score. 

Points. — The score obtained by tricks, or tricks 
and honours; the number of tricks over six — 
points are kept independently of games or rub- 
bers. All points that are made by each side are 
counted. 

Progressive Whist, — A form of duplicate (or 
straight) whist in which half the players progress 
to the next table after each deal. 

Quart. — Four cards in sequence. 

Quart Major. — A sequence of ace, king, queen, 
knave. 

Quint.— Five successive cards in a suit; a se- 
quence of five, as king, queen, knave, ten, nine. 

Quitted. — A trick is said to be ^'turned and 
quitted,^'' ?LS soon as the hand is removed from 
the trick after it has been turned face downward 
on the table. This should not be hurriedly done. 

Re-entry. — A card of re-entry is one that will, by 
winning a trick (not led by the holder), bring 
you the lead at an advanced period of the hand. 

Register. — The account kept of the number of 
rubbers played and points made. 

Renounce. — "When a player has none of the suit 
led, he is said to renotince that suit", though 
used mostly in a restricted sense to mean when 



99 



a player plays a card of another p/ain suit not 
led; however, the person who trumps a suit 
may be correctly said to have renounced the suit 
led. You can also renounce trumps. 

Revoke. — A player who fails to follow suit play- 
ing- a card of a different suit) when he has anv of 
the suit led, revokes. The penalty for a revoke 
is at the option of the adversaries, who, at the 
end of the hand, may either (i) take three tricks 
from revoking side and add them to their own, 
or '2) deduct three points from score of revoking 
side, or 3) add three points to their own score, 
The penalty takes precedence of every other 
score. 

Round — Every four cards played in succession 
after the trump card is turned, 

Rub. — Two extra points added to the points won 
by the winners of two games out of three. 

Rubber. — The best of three games. Two games 
won out of three. The points of a rubber are 
reckoned thus: For the single game [see], one 
pomt; for the double [see], two points; for the 
treble, three points, and for "the rub," twopoints/ 

RuFF". — To trump. A ruff is where you have 
none of a suit and trump it. 

Ruffing. — Another word for trumping a suit of 
which you have none, [See cross ruff]. 

Score. — The points gained in a game or rubber. 
Each trick, above six, counts- one point (the 
rubber two). The counting or marking of the 
progress of the game— attention to the score, 
which is very necessary in playing, refers not 
only to the progress, but also to the prospects of 
the game, so notes should be taken ot the tricks 
made (and honours held) in the current hand. 

Second Hand. — The elder hand. He who plays 
immediately after the leader. 

See-Saw, or Saw. — Is when each of two partners 
ruffs (trumps) a different suit, so that they may 
lead alternately into each other's hands. They 
are then said to have a cross ruff on. 



Semi-Honours. — The tens and nines are some- 
limes so called. The ten is also sometimes 
called the fifth honour. 

SeqUknCk. — Any number of cards in consecutive 
order, as king;, queen, knave. The ace, queen 
and ten would form a sequence if the king and 
knave were out, A tierce is a secjuence of 
three; a quart oi four, and a quint o{ ^\q. [See 
Head Sequence, Subordinate Sequence, and In- 
termediate Sequence'] . 

Short Sitit.-- -One of which you hold originally 
not more than three cards. [See Lo7ig Suit and 
Strength'] . 

vSiioRT Whist. — Five pt)inls make the game. 
Two out of three g.imes won by either side, 
gives that side the rubber. Half honours are 
now more frequently counted at this game, 
though full count for honours is still insisted on 
by old players. Often honours are not counted 
at all in short whist. In short whist honoius do 
not count if the side holding them stood at four 
points at the conmiencement of the hand. 

Shuffle.— To change the relative position of the 
cards. Of the many ways of doing this the best 
(c-alled the whist shuffle) is to hold the pack in 
left hand liiihtly, and keep taking out and throw- 
ing about half the cards loosely from the right 
hand among the rest of the pack on the left. 
It is bad to stand or lie a part of the pack upon 
the table, and force the rest down or sideway 
into it; this is apt to cut or turn the edges of the 
cards. Cards should not be exposed (faced 
outwards) during the shuflle, and the shuflie 
should be done atxn'C, not under nor on, the 
table. After shuffling (which is done by the 
dealer's partner during the deal) the cards 
should be placed on your right, within reach 
of the next dealer, who has the right to shuffle 
last, and should then offer them to be cut by 
your partner. 7^o make is used for shuffling the 
cards, and when shuffled they are said to be 
made. 



Signals. — Certain recognized forms of play by 
which information is given to your partner, as 
to the state of your hand, your trumps, etc. 
Examples: Play (discard) of ace, or of highest 
card in play, of any plain suit upon a lead of 
any other suit signals no more of that suit, or 
entire command of it. Discard of second best 
card of a suit in play, signals no more of that 
suit, and: 

Signal for Trumps. — Throwing away, unneces- 
sarily and contrary to ordinary play,^ a high 
card before a low one, is called the signal /or 
trumps, or asking for trumps; it is a command 
to your partner to lead trumps the first oppor- 
tunity — a command which, in the modern scien- 
tific game, he is bound to obey, whatever his 
own hand may be. It is sometimes referred to 
as the call for trumps. [See Co7iventional Sig- 
?ials.] There is also an echo to the call. [See 
Echo]. 

Single. — A single game in short whist is that 
won by the side which first obtains five points, 
the other side having scored three or four the 
score for it is one point. 

Singleton. — A French name for one card only 
of a suit; leading such is bad play. [See 
Errors 6 and 7 . 

Slam. — Is when the whole thirteen tricks are 
taken by one side in a single hand. 

Small Cards. — Deuce to eight inclusive. Same 
as Low Cards. 

Spread. — Distribution of the pack, backs upper- 
most, that cards from any part of it may be 
drawn. 

Straight Whist. — The regular game in which 
each deal is played only once. 

Strength.— Good cards of a suit. 

Strong Hand. — One likely to make tricks. 

Strong Suit. — A suit containing cards of a 



hij^her than average rank; sometimes er-' 
roiieoiisly used for Long Suit. [Which see]. 

Strkngthkning Card. — A hit^h card 

Strengthening Play. — Getting rid of high cards 
in any suit, the eftect of which is to give an 
improved value to the lower cards of that suit 
remaining in, and so to strengthen the hand 
that holds ihem. Sirengthening Play is most 
beneficial to the liand that is longest in the suit 

. and of course is used in your partner's aid. 
[See note on Strengthening Play] . 

Sub-Echo. — An extension of the ec/io to show 
your partner, after his sigital for, or lead of, 
trumps that you hold exactly three. It is made 
in two ways: (i) By an echo in the ordinary 
way after you have shown by your lead or re- 
turn that you did not hold four: (2) by echoing 
on the second and third rounds of a plain suit 
(instead of on the first and second rounds), or 
by refraining from echoing in the first suit led, 
and then echoing in the second. 

Subordinate Sequence. — Sequence of three or 
more smaller cards than those which c(Mnpose 
the /lead sequence. 

Suit.— A series of thirteen cards of the same 
name; the names of the four suits being spades, 
hearts, clubs, and diamonds. A trump suit is 
composed of^ the cards in each hand that are 
of the series, one of which is. turned by the 
dealer (or which is declared trumps for the 
• evening). The other three are plain suits. [See 
'■- Long Suit, Short Suit, Strong Suit, U^eak Suit]. 

Suit Signal. — The trump signal is a request to 
:■. partner to change his lead to trumps. After 
trumps are out, or at any time when it is evi- 
dent to your partner that you do not want 
trumps led, the same signal indicates that you 
•AXQweak {not short) in the suit he is leading, 
and want him to change his lead to some other 
plain suit. 



I "3 



Table — A table consists of six players, two cut- 
ting out alternate, games, or on the single or 
doub'e rub. 

Tenace — The combination in the same hand, of 
the best and third best card for tiie time being 
of any suit; instance: ace and queen originally, 
or king and ten when ace and knave have been 
played. It is also called Tenace Major. The 
advantage of this combination is that, if you are 
fourth player in the suit, you will certainly 
(bar trumping) make two tricks in it; and it is 
therefore much to jour interest that the suit 
should be led by your left-hand adversary. 
The derivatioh of the word is probably from 
Latin tenace, the policy being to "iiold back" 
the suit containing the tenace rather than to 
lead it. ^ 

Tenace Minor. — A minor tenace is the combina- 
tion of die second and fourth best cards. 

Third Hand. — The partner of the leader. 

Thirteenth Card.— The card of any suit in 
hand after twelve of that suit have been played. 

Throwing the Lead. — Leading or playing a 
card that impo.ses an obligation on the part of 
another player to takt.- the trick. 

Tierce — A sequence of three cards in any suit 
in one hand. 

Tierce Major. — x\ce, king, queen, of any suit 
held in one hand. 

Ties. — Cards of like denomination in cutting, as 
two kings, or two queens, etc.; cards of the 
same number of pips, as two eights, two fives, 
etc. 

Treble. — A treble is scoring five points at short 
whist before your adversaries have marked one. 
It is the game won by obtaining five points to 
nothing on the other side. Sometimes called a 
lurch or triplet. The score for it is three 
points. 

Trey. — A card with three spots. 



T04 



Tricks. — The four cards played (one by each 
player) in one round, including the card led, 
constitute a trick. 

Trump, or Trump Card. — The card cut, which 
in dealing is at the bottom of the pack, and is 
placed faced upwards on the right hand of the 
dealer and taken up into his hand as soon as it 
his turn to play to the first trick. Sometimes 
the trump is decided by cutting from another 
pack, and in duplicate whist the trump suit is 
decided for the whole evening at the com- 
mencement of the play. Tjuinp is also used 
to mean "the suit which is turned up." Also 
to miean "any card of that suit." 

Trumping — To trump is to play such a card 
when a plain suit is led. 

Trumps, or Trump Suit. — Cards of the same 
suit as the tiirn-up or trniiip card. The trump 
suit for the deal is superior to the three plain 
suits, and the smallest trump will take the 
highest card in any other suit. 

Trump Out. — Is an old-fashioned expression for 
leading or forcing trumps out. 

Turn Up. — The last card in the deal. Same as 
the tfunip, or the trump card. 

Turned and Quitted. — [See Quitted'] In 
strict American whist a trick turned cannot 
again be seen until the hand is played. 

TwEiyFTH Card. — One of the two cards (not 
necessarily the best) of a suit, remaining in 
play, after eleven have been played. 

UnbIvOCKing. — Getting rid of the commanding 
cards of your partner's long suit, when you hold 
a less number of the same suit . 

UndERPIvAY. — Keeping back best cards. Playing 
subordinate ones instead. It differs from finess- 
ing in this, that the object is not to take the 
trick with the smaller card, but to throw the 
lead, or conceal the possession of the higher 



105 



ones, so as to use them more effectively later 
in the hand. 

Weakness. — Having a hand or suit with which 
you are unlikely to make tricks. Sometimes 
used to mean shortness in a suit 

Weak Suit, — One containing cards only of a 
lower than average rank. Sometimes erro- 
neously used to mean short suit (of three cards 
or less), or a suit of which you hold but few 
remaining cards. 

Winning Cards — The highest cards of any suit 
in play. 

Yarborough, — A hand in which the best card is 
an eight is called a yarborough. There is no 
record of a hand in which seven was the lowest. 

Younger Hand. — The player to the right of the 
dealer. 



The Laws of Whist, 

As Revised and adopted at the Third American 
Whist Congress, Chicago, 1894. 



The Game. 

1. A game consists of seven points, each trick 
above vSix counting one The value of the game 
is determined by deducting the losers' score from 
seven. 

Forming the Table. 

2. Those first in the room have the preference. 
If, by reason of two or more arriving at the same 
time, more than four asssemble, the preference 
among the last comers is determined by cutting, 
a lower cut giving the preference over all cutting 
higher. A complete table consists of six; the four 
having the preference play. Partners are deter- 
mined by cutting; the highest two play against 
the lowest two; the lowest deals and has the 
choice of seats and cards. 

3. It two players cut intermediate cards of 
equal value, they cut again; the lower of the new 
cut plays with the original lowest. 

4. If three players cut cards of equal value, 
they cut again. If the fourth has cut the highest 
card, the lowest two of the new cut are partners 
and the lowest deals. If the fourth has cut the 
lowest card, he deals and the highest two of the 
new cut are partners. 

5. At the end of a game, if there are more than 
four belonging to the table, a sufficient number of 
the players retire to admit those awaiting their 
turn to play. In determining which players 
remain in, those who have played a less number 
of consecutive games have the preference over all 



107 



who have played a greater number; between two 
or more who have played an equal number, the 
preference is determined by cutting, a lower cut 
giving the preference over all cutting higher. 

6. To entitle one to enter a table, he must 
declare his intention to do so before any one of 
the players has cut for the purpose of commenc- 
ing a new game or of cutting out. 

Cutting. 

7. In cutting, the ace is the lowest card. All 
must cut from the same pack. If a player exposes 
more than one card, he must cut again. Drawing 
cards from the outspread pack may be resorted 
to in place of cutting. 

Shuffling. 

8. Before every deal, the cards must be shuffled. 
When two packs are used, the dealer's partner 
must collect and shufH.e the cards for the ensuing 
deal and place them at his right hand. In all 
cases the dealer may shuffle last. 

9. A pack must not be shuffled during the 
play of a hand, nor so as to expose the face of any 
card. 

Cidting to the Dealer. 

10. The dealer must present the pack to his 
right hand adversary to be cut; the adversary 
must take a portion from the top of the pack and 
place it towards the dealer; at least four cards 
must be left in each packet; the dealer must 
reunite the packets by placing the one not 
removed in cutting upon the other. 

ir. If, in cutting ox in reuniting the separate 
packets, a card is exposed, the pack must be 
reshuffled by the dealer and cut again; if there is 
an}' confusion of the cards or doubt as to the 
place where the pack was separated, there must be 
a new cut. 

12. If the dealer reshuffles the pack after it has 
been properly cut, he loses his deal. 

Dealing, 

13. When the pack has been properly cut and 



■loS 



reunited, the dealer must distribute the cards, one 
at a time, to each player in regular rotation, be- 
ginning at his left. The last, which is the trump 
card, must be turned up before the dealer. At 
the end of the hand or when the deal is lost, the 
deal passes to the player next to the dealer on his 
left, and so on to each in turn. 

14. There must be a new deal by the same 
dealer: — 

I. If any card except the last is faced in the 
pack . 

II. If, during the deal or during the play of the 
hand, the pack is proved incorrect or imperfect; 
but any prior score made with that pack shall 
stand . 

15. If, during the deal, a card is exposed, the 
side not in fault may demand a new deal, provided 
neither of that side has touched a card. If a new 
deal does not take place, the exposed card is not 
liable to be called . 

16. Any one dealing out of turn or with his 
adversaries' pack may be stopped before the 
trump card is turned, after which, the deal is 
valid and the packs, if changed, so remain. 

Misdeali7ig. 

17. It is a misdeal: — 

I. If the dealer omits to have the pack cut and 
his adversaries discover the error before the trump 
card is turned and before looking at any of their 
cards. 

II. If he deals a card incorrectly and fails to 
correct the error before dealing another. 

III. If he counts the cards on the table or in 
the remainder of the pack. 

IV. If, having a perfect pack, he does not deal 
to each player the proper number of cards and 
the error is discovered before all have played to 
the first trick. 

V. If he looks at the trump card before the 
deal is completed. 

VI. If he places the trump card face downwards 
upon his own or any other player's cards. 

A misdeal loses the deal, unless, during the deal, 



log 

either of the adversaries touches a card or in any 
other manner interrupts the dealer. 
The Tru7np Card. 
i8. The dealer must leave the trump card face 
upwards on the table until it is his turn to play 
to the first trick; if it is left on the table until after 
the second trick has been turned and quitted, it 
is liable to be called. After it has been lawfully 
taken up, it must not be named and any player 
naming it is liable to have his highest or his lowest 
trump called by either adversary. A player may, 
however, ask what the trump suit is. 
Irregularities in the Hands. 

19. If, at any time after all have played to the 
first trick, the pack being perfect, a player is 
found to have either more or less than his correct 
number of cards and his adversaries have their 
right number, the latter, upon the discovery of such 
surplus or deficiency, may consult and shall have 
the choice: — 

I. To have a new deal; or 

II. To have the hand played out, in which case 
the surplus or missing card or cards are not taken 
into account. 

If either of the adversaries also has more or less 
than his correct number, there must be a new deal. 

If any player has a surplus card by reason of an 
omission to play to a trick, his adversaries can 
exercise the foregoing privilege only after he has 
played to the trick following the one in which such 
omission occurred. 

Cards Liable to be Called. 

20. The following cards are liable to be called by 
either adversary: — 

I. Every card faced upon the table otherwise 
than in the regular course of play, but not including 
a card led out of turn. 

II. Every card thrown with the one led or 
played to the current trick. The player must 
indicate the one led or played. 

III. Every card so held by a player that his 
partner sees any portion of its face. 



IV. All the cards in a han 1 lowered or shown 
by a player so that his partner sees more than one 
card of it. 

V. Every card named by the player holdini;' it. 
2 1. All cards liable to be called must be played 

and left face np wards on the table. A player 
mnst lead or play them when they are called, pro- 
vided he can do so without revokino^. The call 
may be repeated at each trick until the card is 
played. A player cannot be prevented from 
leading or playino a card liable to be called; if he 
can get rid of it in the course of play, no penalty 
remains 

22. If a player leads a card better than any his 
adversaries hold of the suit, and then leads one or 
more other cards without waiting for his partner 
to play, the latter may be trailed upon by either 
adversary to take the rtrst trick, and the other 
cards thus improperly played are liable to be 
called; it makes no difference whether he plays 
them one after the other, or throws them all ou 
the table together, after the first card is played, 
the others are liable to be called. 

23. A player having a card liable to be called 
must not play another until the adversaries have 
stated whether or not they wish to call the card 
liable to the penalty. If he plays another card 
without awaiting the decision of the adversaries, 
such other card also is liable to be called. 

Leading Out of Turn. 

24. If any player leads out of t(un, a suit may 
be called from him or his partner the first time 
it is the turn of either of them to lead. The 
penalty can be enforced only by the adversary on 
the right of the player from whom a suit can law- 
fully be called. 

If a phiyer, so called on to lead a suit, has none 
of it, or if all have played to the false lead, no 
penalty can be enforced. If all have not played 
to the trick, the cards erroneously played to such 
false lead are not liable to be called and must be 
taken back. 



Playing Out of Turn. 

25. If the third hand plays before the second, 
the fourth hand also may play before the second. 

26. If the third hand has nc^t played, and the 
fourth hand plays before the second, the latter 
may be called upon by the third hand to play his 
hij^hest or lowest card of the suit led or, if he has 
none, to trump or not to trum[) the trick. 

Abandoned Hands. 

27. If all four players throw their cards on the 
table, lace upwards, no further play of that hand 
is permitted. '1 he result of the hand, as then 
claimed or admitted, is established, provided that, 
if a re\oke is discovered, the revoke penalty 
attaches . 

Revoking . 

28. A revoke is a renounce in error not cor- 
rected in lime. A player renounces in error, 
when, holdinj^ one or more cards of the suit led, 
he plays a card of a different suit. 

A renounce in error may be corrected by the 
playei making it, before the trick in which it 
occurs has been turned and quitted, unless either 
he or his partner, whether in his right turn or 
otherwise, has led or played to the following trick, 
or unless his partner has asked whether or not he 
has any of the suit renounced. 

29. If a player corrects his mistake in time to 
save a revoke, the card imprcjperly played by him 
is liable to be called; any player or players, who 
have played after him, may withdraw their cards 
and substitute others; the cards so withdrawn are 
not liable to be called. ■ 

. 30. The penalty for revoking is the transfer of 
two tricks from the revoking side to their adver- 
saries; it can be enforced for as many revokes as 
occur during the hand. The revoking side camiot 
win the game in that hand; if both sides revoke, 
neither can win the game in that hand . 

31. The revoking player and his partner may 
require the hand, in which the revoke has been 
made, to be played out, and score all points made 
by them up to the .score of six. 



32. At the end of a hand, the claimants of a 
revoke may search all the tricks. If the cards 
have been mixed, the claim may be urged and 
proved, if possible: but no proof is necessary and 
the revoke is established, if, after it has been 
claimed, the accused player or his partner mixes 
the cards before they have been examined to the 
satisfaction of the adversaries. 

33. The revoke can be claimed at any time 
before the cards have been presented and cut for 
the following deal, bnt not thereafter . 

Miscellaneous. 

34. Any one, during the play of a trick and 
before the cards have been touched for the purpose 
of gathering them together, may demand that the 
players draw their cards. 

35. If any one, prior to his partner playing, 
calls attention in any manner to the trick or to the 
score, the adversary last to play to the trick may 
require the offender's partner to play his highest or 
lowest of the suit led or, if he has none, to trump 
or not to trump the trick. 

36. If any player says "I can win the rest," 
"The rest are ours," "We have the game," or 
words to that effect, his partner's cards must be 
laid upon the table and are hable to be called. 

37. When a trick has been turned and quitted, 
it must not again be seen until after the hand has 
been played. A violation of this law subjects the 
offender's side to the same penalty as in case of a 
lead out of turn. 

38. If a player is lawfully called upon to play 
the highest or lowest of a suit, or to trump or not 
to trump a trick, or to lead a suit, and unneces- 
sarily fails to comply, he is liable to the same 
penalty as if he had revoked . 

39. In all cases where a penalty has been 
incurred, the offender must await the decision of 
the adversaries. If either of them, with or with- 
out his partner's consent, demands a penalty, to 
which they are entitled, such decision is hnal . If 
the wrong adversary demands a penalty or a wrong 
penalty is demanded, none can be enforced. 



The Laws of Duplicate Whist. 



Duplicate Whist is governed by the "Laws of 
Whist" as adopted by the Third American Whist 
Congress, 1893, except in so far as they are 
modified by the follovv^ing special laws, as adopted 
by the Fourth and amended by the Seventh 
American Whist Congress, 1897 : 

The Game and the Score. 

{a") A game or match consists of any agreed 
number of deals, each of which is played once 
only by each player. 

The contesting teams must be of the same 
number, but may each consist of any agreed 
number of pairs, a half of which, or as near thereto 
as possible, sit north and south, the other half 
east and west. 

Every trick taken is scored, and the match is 
determined b}'- a comparison of the aggregate 
scores won by the competing teams. In case the 
teams consist of an odd number of pairs, each 
team, in making up such aggregate, adds, as 
though won by it, the average score of all the pairs 
seated in the positions opposite to its odd pair. 

Each side shall keep its own score, and it is the 
duty of the players at each table to compare the 
scores there made and see that they correspond. 

In a match between two teams the team which 
wins a majority of all the tricks scores the match 
as won by that number of tricks which it has 
taken in excess of one-half the total . 

In a match between more than two teams each 
team wins or loses, as the case may be, by the 
number of tricks which its aggregate score ex- 
ceeds or falls short of the average score of all the 
competing teams. 

In taking averages fractions are disregarded and 
the nearest whole number taken, one-half counting 



as a whole, unless it is necessary to take the 
fraction into account to avoid a tie, in vvhic^h case 
the niat(Mi is scored as won by 'ilie fraction of a 
tri(k " 

/u)riniu<i- Ihr Tahlt' 

{d) Tables may be (nrnicd by cutiin^ or by 
agreement. 

In two tal)le duplicate, if the tables are formed 
by cutting, the four having the preference play at 
one table, and {\)r next four at the other. The 
highest two iit one table are partners with the 
lowest two al [\\v other. The highest two at each 
table sit noi ih and S(Mi1!i: ihc lowest two east and 
west . 

Pralniy^ duii /\/isi/r(i/iu_Li 

{(') The cUal is mvcr losl; in case ol" a u)isdeal, 
or of the exposiue of a card duiing llur deal, the 
cards must be redealt by the same pla\'er 

77!r '/'r/imp (ard 

((/) 'Ihe trump card must be recordeil before the 
|)lay begins on a slip |)rovided for thai purpose. 

When the deal has been |)layetl the slip on which 
the trumj) caril has been recorded must be placed 
Hue upward by the dealer on the top of his cards, 
l)ut the trump card nmst not In- agiiu tin-ned until 
the hands are taken up. for (Ik- puipose of ovcr- 
|)laying them, at which lime it must be tiu"ned and 
left face upward on the tray imtil it is the dealer's 
turn to play to the lust trick. The slip on which 
die trump card is rect)rded must l)e turned face 
downward as soon as the trump card is taken up 
by the dealer. If the trump card has been otluM- 
wise recorded such record nuist be also turnetl 
down. The dealer uuist leave the trump card face 
upward on the tray until it is his turn to play to 
the tirst trick, when it should be taken into his 
hand. 

Jf it is not taken into die hand until alter the 
second trick has been lurned and (luitled ii is 
liable to be called. 

Alter it has been lawfully taken up it must not 
be named, and any player thereafter naming it, or 



1J5 



looking at tlie trump slip, or other record of the 
trump, is liable to have his highest or lowest 
trump callt-d by his right-hand adversary at any 
time during the play of that deal, before such ad- 
versary has played to any current trick, or before 
the preceding trick is turned and quitted, in case 
it is the oflender's turn to lead. The call may be 
repeated until the card is played, but it cannot be 
changed . 

Irregularities in the Hands. 

{e') If a player is found to have either more or 
less than his correct number of cards the course to 
be pursued is determined by the time at v^hich the 
irregularity is discovered. 

I. Where the irregularity is discovered before 
or during the original play of a hand: 

There must be a new deal 

II. Where the irregularity is discovered when 
the hand is taken up for overplay, and before such 
overplay has begun : 

The hand in which the irregularity is so discov- 
ered must be sent back to the table from which it 
was last received, and the error be there rectified 

III. Where the irregularity is not discovered 
until after the overplay has begun : 

In two-table duplicate there must be a new deal; 
but, in a game in which the same hands are played 
at more than two tables, the hands must be rectified 
as above and then passed to the next table without 
overplay at the table at which the error was 
discovered, in which, case, if a player had a 
deficiency and his adversary the corresponding 
surplus, each team takes the average score for that 
deal; if, however, his partner had the correspond- 
ing surplus, his team is given the lowest score 
made at any table for that deal. 

In the overplay of a deal if a trump is turned 
other than that recorded on the trump slip; in a 
game of three or more tables the player at fault 
shall be given the low score for the deal, and in 
single or two-table duplicate there must be a new 
deal. 



Tl6 



Playing the Cards. 



( f) Each player, when it is his turn to play, 
must place his card face upward before him and 
toward the center of the table, and allow it to 
remain upon the table in this position until all 
have played the trick, when he must turn it over 
and place it face downward and nearer to himself, 
placing each successive card, as he turns it, on top 
of the last card previously turned by him. After 
he has played this card, and also after he has 
turned it, he must quit by removing his hand. 

A trick is turned and quitted when all four 
players have turned and quitted their respective 
cards. 

The cards must be left in the order in which 
they were played until the scores for the deal are 
recorded. 

Claiming a Revoke. 

{g) A revoke may be claimed at any time before 
the last trick of the deal in which it occurs has 
been turned and quitted and the scores of that 
deal recorded, but not thereafter. 

"A player may ask his adversaries if they 
have any of the suit renounced, but the question 
establishes the revoke if it happens that it is his 
partner who has renounced in error." 

Cards Liable to be Called, 

{h) The holder of a card liable to be called can 
be required to play it only by his right-hand ad- 
versary; if such adversary plays without calling it 
the holder may play as he pleases. If it is the 
holder's turn to lead the card must be called 
before the preceding trick is turned and quitted, 
or the holder may lead as he pleases. 

The unseen cards of a hand faced upon the 
table are not liable to be called. 

Enforcing Penalties. 

(?) A player having the right to call a suit loses 
such right unless he announces to the adversary 



117 



first winning a trick, before the trick won by such 
adversary is turned and quitted, what particular 
suit he desires led. 

A player has the right to remind his partner 
that it is his privilege to enforce a penalty, and 
also to inform him of the penalty he can enforce. 

A player has the right to prevent his partner 
from committing any irregularity, except re- 
nouncing in error. 



5ingIe=Table or Mnemonic 
Duplicate. 



The laws of Duplicate Whist govern, where 
applicable, except as follows : — 

Each player plays each deal twice, the second 
time playing a hand previously played by an 
adversary 

Instead of turning the trump, a single suit may 
be declared trumps for the game. 

On the overplay, the cards may be gathered 
into tricks instead of playing them as required by 
Law (/). 

In case of the discovery of an irregularity in 
the hands, there must always be a new deal. 



The Etiquette of Whist, 

/Is Adopted by the Third American Whist 

Congress, Chicago, June 20-24, 1893. 

The following rules belong to the established 
Code of Whist Etiquette. They are formulated 
with a view to discourage certain improprieties of 
conduct therein pointed out which are not reached 



ii8 



by. the laws. The courtesy which marks the 
intercourse of gentlemen will regulate other 
more obvious cases. 

I. No conversation should be indulged in during 
the play except such as is allowed by the laws of 
the game 

II. No p'ayer should in any manner whatsoever 
give any intimation as to the state of his hand or 
of the game, or of approval or disapproval of a 
play. 

III. No player should lead until the preceding 
trick is turned and quitted. 

IV. No player should, after having led a winning 
card, draw a card from his hand for another lead 
until his partner has played to the current trick . 

V. No player should play a card in any manner 
so as to call particular attention to it, nor should 
he demand that the cards be placed in order to 
attract the attention of his partner. 

VI. No player should purposely incur a penalty 
because he is willing to pa}^ it, nor should he 
make a second revoke in order to conceal one 
previously made. 

VII. No player should take advantage of infor- 
mation imparted by his partner through a breach 
of etiquette. 

viri. No player should object to referring a 
disputed question of fact to a bystander who pro- 
fesses himself uninterested in the result of the 
game and able to decide the question. 

IX. Bystanders should not in any manner call 
attention to or give any intimation concerning 
the play or the state of the game, during the play 
of a hand. They should not look over the hand 
of a player without his permission; nor should 
they walk around the table to look at the different 
hands. 



Conclusion. 



At some future time the writer hopes to 
elaborate more fully in accord with new 
developments the inferences at play, and to 
get out a good complete, though simple and 
easily remembered, analj^sis of leads and 
plays in detail; and also a few Examination 
Papers on whist. 

All this, however, has been deferred. 
The examples of inferences given in this 
book (taken from Pole) are given to 
enable the student to work out others for 
himself, which will do him more good than 
reading them; and, from the ordinary text- 
books on the game, the leads and play in 
detail can be easily obtained. 

As to Examination Papers the writer is of 
opinion that it would be found most useful 
to the young whist student to write out 
answers to questions in papers — well set — 
first, without referring to any text book; 
afterwards, reading up in all the books on 
whist he can get hold of the subject of 
each question, and then writing out ex- 
haustive answers. Though this course is 
strongly advised, it is feared it would not 
be followed by many. An alternative use 
of well-set papers would be, to use the ques- 
tions as a viva voce Examination of one 
another after any whist meeting, when all 
present should answer to each question 
before the next is dealt with. 



